What happens when you trust

It’s amazing how God works so that everything works for good.  We read it through the Scriptures, but it is still astonishing when we realize the truth of it in our own lives.  I’ve been telling God through the whole process of moving to Indo, “Thank You for this opportunity to trust You more.”  And looking back, I can see how trusting God really enables me to do immeasurably more than anything I can imagine.

When I was going through the application process, I constantly feared that this would be taken away.  Even after I was offered the job, I was so sure that something would happen that would prevent me from going… whether someone else, my own decisions, or other external forces.  I remember sitting with a friend, curled up in a ball, with my head squeezed between my hands, claiming that I know I’m free and God has it all under control.  She looked at me and said, “Look at you.  You’re squishing your head.  You’re not free.”  I have to unqueeze my head.  Look up.  And realize that sometimes, it’s out of my control.

Some of you may remember my dilemma a while back.  I thought I had signed up for an earlier flight to Chicago, but when I checked my itinerary a few weeks before leaving, the time was changed to later.  However that happened, whether I accidently clicked the wrong button (which I really don’t think I did) or God needed me to be on the later flight (which sounds crazy to some people, but I thought it was this), I was freaked out that I would miss my connecting flight. 

At Cleveland airport with my family I got ready to go through security, we saw a family on vacation and a mom who was just as organized as my mom when we were going to Thailand.  Later, I saw them walk in and sit at the same gate.  Casually, I moved over to where they were and struck up a conversation.  They were a sweet Christian family on vacation to the west coast.  They were super impressed that I was moving to Indonesia.  They had a daughter who seemed to be in high school, but I didn’t give it much thought, until I got on the plane and realized that we were going to be seat buddies.  Her family ended up in the far back of the plane, but she was somehow up with me (coincidence?).  We talked the entire trip to Chicago.  She was in high school, had just gotten back from her youth conference, and played in the band.  I can’t tell you what all we talked about, but when we got off the plane, she said she really enjoyed talking to me.  Said that I am her new inspiration in life.  What!? I just met her.  We talked for two hours.  And I’m an inspiration?  Too many coincidences for this not to be from God.  I did nothing.  I went on the later flight, trusting I would make my connection, and God worked. 

I made it to Chicago on time.  Got on the plane with Janna.  And made it all the way to Singapore.

In Singapore, all the arriving teachers handed off our passports to an agent who went to get our visas.  Scary.  He walked out of there with close to forty passports in hand.  And there we trusted that God would take care of that, because let’s face it, there’s no way that I couldn’t not trust God with that.  He said he would return at 4:30 or 5:00.  Or plane was scheduled to leave at 6:40.  Do the math, and we probably wouldn’t have our passports when we should be at the airport.  But he made it back just in time for us to catch the airport shuttle at 4:30. 

Just kidding!  One of the returning teachers had said that he would arrange for a shuttle to come, but at the last moment, told us all to call cabs.  Most of the teachers had left their luggage at the airport, but here were Janna and I, piled high with all our stuff, trying to catch a cab at shift change.  Yeah right.  But we trust that it will work.  So a cab finally comes, but it can’t fit both me and Janna, so I load up my stuff.  Come to find out, that I don’t have enough Singapore dollars (since the shuttle was supposed to be pretty cheap).  And the driver couldn’t take credit.  But I trust, and remember that before I left, someone had given me a gift.  It was some cash that I received after I had made my deposit.  I didn’t change it once I got to Singapore, and had I changed it, I probably would have spent it.  But I had this bit of USD, and the driver agreed to take that!  Good news, everyone made it to the airport on time!

Worries that seem to prevent me from fulfilling my calling actually prepare me for what is next.  A changed flight which could make me miss my next flight actually allows God to impact a teen’s life.  A gift that comes late and seems to be inconvenient actually allows me to continue on my journey.  I’ve learned to trust.  Even those things that seem to be a hindrance are used by God to fulfill His purpose.  Simple, but profound.