Digging and Flying

I've done a lot of digging lately, both in Scripture and in some old journals.  

When I'm 'stuck' I find it encouraging to look back and see how God has proved Himself faithful time & time again. 

I've found lots of photos in my recent exploration, too!

This one was taken 4 years ago on a little plane (like in 12 seats!) in Haiti.  I couldn't help but think about that time we sat in the cockpit, when reading this devotional from the year that followed in The Word For You Today..

    "Did you know that most small-plane crashes are not caused by mechanical failure but pilot error? In most cases the pilot was not instrument rated, so he or she depended on two things that can fail you.  Let's look at each: 

     1)SIGHT. As long as the pilots can see roads, bridges and landmarks, they can fly safely. But when the storm comes or the fog locks them in, they're in trouble.

     2)SENSES. In aviation terms the problem is called "vertigo". If you blindfold a person, sit them in a revolving chair, spin it around for several moments, then stop the chair and ask them in which direction they're spinning, they couldn't tell you with certainty. There's a sensitive device in our head that's like a carpenter's level. The force of the spinning sends the "bubble" as far as it can go to one side. When it can go no further it begins to return-even though the person's still spinning in the same direction. So they have the sensation of stopping and beginning to spin in the opposite direction, but it's only a sensation. If they were not blindfolded and could see, they could ignore those sensations and would have no difficulty knowing in which direction they are going. It takes many hours of training in simulated storm conditions to develop the ability to confidently fly by the direction of your instruments and ignore your sensations of vertigo. 

    Understand this: as a child of God you must not be led by your sight or by your senses, you must be led only by the Scriptures."

It was cool to sit in the pilot's seat that day (as you can tell by the incredibly cheesy grin on my face!) but there is no doubt in my mind our flight would have ended terribly if John and I had tried flying that plane. We were not instrument rated. 

Since that time, our training hasn't been with any aircraft so we still aren't instrument rated in that regard.  However, we've had many hours of training while 'flying' through some pretty fierce storms...some that left us spinning and unable to see where we were going.  

In the middle of the storms, when we're fighting vertigo, it's so tempting to make decisions and choices based on our sight and senses. 

John and I still haven't mastered flying (on the ground, of course) but praise God He's still faithful through our attempts to ignore our flesh reactions and follow His Words. 

"Our God who has proven Himself faithful throughout the years is always with us. Because His character doesn't change, in our fear we can say with a confident voice of faith, 'The Sovereign Lord is my strength!' (Habakkuk 3:19)." ~Pho Fang Chia 

What storms are you facing? 

What scriptures have you found to be instrumental so you can 'fly' safely?

"I heard and my heart pounded,

my lips quivered at the sound;

decay crept into my bones,

and my legs trembled.

Yet, I will wait patiently...

I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength..."

Habbakuk 3:16-18