Scary Times
April 16, 2023 by Carin LeRoy
Filed under Daily Devotions
By Carin LeRoy –
It’s not often that a pilot aborts a landing. Last year my husband, son and I went on a mission trip back to where we used to serve as missionaries. The long flights overseas generally went without incident as we headed to our destination in Papua New Guinea.
As the crew prepared for the landing in Port Moresby, the pilot began his approach. Things seemed to be going as usual—until the wheels touched the tarmac. Suddenly, the pilot gunned it, and we were in the air again.
What. Was. That?
A man to the left said, “Jesus, help us.” He looked like he was praying.
Nervousness was evident on many faces as we wondered what just happened. In all my years of flying, I had never experienced anything like it. Did we have a flat tire? Was a dog on the airstrip? (That had happened before.) Did the pilot make an error? What was going on?
We circled around to make another landing. This time without incident. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as we touched down and came to a stop. I believe the pilot touched down without enough airstrip to land safely, so instead made a decision to abort and try again. Plane rides can have their scary moments—just like life.
When life gets scary, where do we turn? To friends? To church? To a bad habit? Do we run or walk away from it? The guy in the plane on my left had it right: Turn to Jesus and pray. In those moments when life seems out of control, God does have a purpose and a plan. He will walk with us through it. Pray, trust God and claim His promises. Soon, we enter another season of life and will look back and know that God, indeed, was with us.
PRAYER: Lord, when life is unsettling and scary, give me faith to trust You. Help me to turn to You in prayer and to claim Your promises for my life. Thank You that You hear me when I pray.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation” (Psalm 91:14-16 NIV).
Today's devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale and mother of three grown children and one almost-grown teenager. She has been a missionary with Pioneers since 1982. Her passions are family, missions, piano, and writing to challenge others to live faithful lives for God.