Turbulence

It is said that turbulence in flight is mainly caused by a disturbance or disruption in the airflow around the airplane. Sometimes it may be light; at times it may be violent. One source also defines turbulence as a sudden violent shift in the air flow. This reminds me of life sometimes. If you are like me – you hate turbulence. Some of us don’t do very well during these shifts. Others appear to stay calm although they may be filled with terror. If you ever glance around an airplane when there’s turbulence, you’ll see and hear a variety of responses. Then there are the young children, especially the 3-6 year-olds!

Travelling with my son at that age shown above was always a treat and a challenge. As you can see, he’s sitting on the bag with his snacks etc. Not very concerned that he might be squashing everything inside. That juice was meant to be had on the plane -he doesn’t care. To him an airplane ride was like going the amusement park. He was always excited at take off and landing. However, nothing amused him like turbulence. His hands would be up in the air as he shouts woo-hoo! Much to the annoyance of the terrified adults nearby. At the end, he had the biggest smile , ” Mommy that was fun!” I would smile nervously, after asking God to forgive me a million times because I was sure I would be coming home any minute 😊. I hate turbulence!

The truth is, for the most part, turbulence lasts for a very short time. It’s temporary. Research from aviation sources indicate that there is no record of a plane crashing because of turbulence. By the way, it is said that one of the bumpiest flight route is from New York to London. Just a side note for those travelling this summer😂. Short, temporary, violent and shakes you to the core. Have you ever had some of those life experiences? They seem to last forever; they rob us of our joy, peace of mind and at times destabilizes us. We feel like we are becoming frayed at the edges.

I must say I use to envy my son’s response to turbulence. He knew how to enjoy the ride. No wonder Christ encourages us to become like little children. Though we can argue that his ignorance and innocence partly contributed to that carefree attitude. He didn’t know that this could be potentially dangerous. That we were at an enormously high altitude and we don’t have wings. He just didn’t know! Maybe that’s true. I also wonder if he would respond the same way if in the middle of it I got up and left him alone. I wonder if he enjoyed the moment because someone who loves him was close by and that person appeared unbothered by the moving and the shaking. He’s OK because I am there.

So, have you been experiencing some turbulence lately? Lots of uncomfortable shaking and shifting. Guess who is right there and totally unmoved by it all? He is waiting for us to acknowledge His presence and invite Him into those turbulent situations. You were never meant to do this alone. When Christ rides with you, you are promised that you will not crash and burn. Like my son, we can enjoy the ride knowing that we will not go under. The One who loves us hasn’t left. Whether or not we sense His presence.

If you having been doing this journey without Him, He still there waiting with hands lovingly extended.

Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him. [Isaiah 30:18]