Shooting the Breeze
James Dobson tells a story about a friend who piloted his single-engine airplane toward a small country airport as the sun dipped behind the mountains. Dusk settled quickly and quietly, and as lights blinked on in houses below the man could barely make out the airstrip in the distance.
By the time he maneuvered his craft closer for a landing, the black pavement was indistinguishable from the black of night.
His little plane was not equipped with lights, and the airport employees had left for the day. There was no one he could even radio for help.
Circling the dark airport again and again, he stared hard below in hopes of spotting the runway. But he could see nothing.
For two hours he droned back and forth above the deserted airport, hoping against hope that his gas wouldn’t run out. Yet as the needle of the fuel gauge nosed to empty, he knew that at any moment he could plummet from the sky to a certain death.
His heart beat loudly and he wondered what death would feel like.
As his panic clenched tighter, a miracle happened. Someone on the ground had heard the plane circling aimlessly in the dark and had guessed the pilot’s predicament.
Hopping into his car, the man flashed on his brights and raced back and forth to illuminate the airstrip. And then he parked his vehicle at the far end of the runway and let his beams of light guide the pilot down for a safe landing.
Darkness creeps into our lives
There have been many times when darkness has crept into my life and I have been enveloped in the kind of panic that gripped the errant pilot.
Perhaps you know the feeling, too.
You face a hopeless tangle of problems at home, school, and/or work.
Your future seems clouded.
Maybe someone close to you has died or been divorced – throwing more shadows across your life.
God wants to light our path
I’ve found it’s at the blackest moments that God wants to light our path.
That light may simply be assurance that He’s in control and will eventually work bad circumstances into positive results.
While things may not always improve immediately, God enables us to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“My God turns darkness into light.” Psalm 18:28
How have you experienced God turning darkness into light in your life?
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When my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer my world grew dark. Thirty days later, it went completely black as I stood by his casket and wondered how it had happened so fast.
Even though I couldn’t see or feel God hand, he hadn’t let me go. In the following months light began to pierce through. One day I surprised myself and I actually laughed!
Going on four years now, my world is bright with the light of Christ. He taught me to trust in his light.
Now, no matter how dark the world gets, I know where to turn to find my way.
TC Avey recently posted..I Am A Follower: The Way, Truth, and Life of Following Jesus Book Review
Thanks for sharing your powerful story TC!
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I have been so blessed that when the darkness is becoming dense and intense, the light is always hovering, maybe not overwhelming at the time, but enough that I know I simply have to hold on to Him until the Light can explode. And, yes, there’s much, MUCH hardness going on in surrounding families… ONLY HE can provide the Light-draw to keep us going forward.
Joanne Norton recently posted..RAHAB’S FAITH
Praise God that His light is always present in the darkness!
Thanks for sharing Joanne!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..8 practical ways to practice patience
I honestly have faith in God thou i do not go to church every Sunday but still, all God words are important to me as i am a believer.
Mika Castro recently posted..סולידריות
Keep growing in your faith in God Mika and I encourage you to make growing in your faith with other followers of God a priority.
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Spiritual growth is not automatic – it is intentional
But its really nice when you go to church every sunday even if its just to visit only. because me even I’m too busy in my work I give some time to god..
Fatima Hipolito recently posted..CZ 858
Having a strong connection with other followers of God will help us grow in our faith.
Kevin Martineau recently posted..What are your core values?
That’s right kev’s so we must always follow him so we can get a blessing to him..
Fatima Hipolito recently posted..חינוך
Great way to illuminate this scripture Kevin. I know I had a few dark days last year with the loss of mom. I found out on Friday that it was near the end and she was gone late Monday. In a weird way, this all caused me to solidify my faith even more. I even had the opportunity to share the gospel at her funeral.
RevCollins recently posted..Is Hell Real?
I am sorry for your loss Gerald. Praise God for the opportunity to share the Gospel.
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