Airports, Planes, and Patience

Well folks, this past week I had quite the experience with flying. On the way to South Dakota, our first flight was delayed so we missed our connecting flight and ended up having to drive the rest of the way to our destination. Sitting in an airport all day is not a super great experience, not to mention having to drive 4 hours afterwards on top of that. 

I didn't think our luck could get much worse, until on the way home from our visit, our first flight was delayed so we once again missed our connection. We then had to stand in line for quite awhile to get hotel vouchers and rebook our flight for the next morning. With no change of clothes or any of our luggage, we made it to the hotel and back to the airport the next day only to find out that our rebooked flight had been delayed 2 more hours. And just for a brief side note, I'm writing this blog whilst I am still traveling and trying to finally make it home. 

Needless to say, this was not the best and most joyful experience. Did it test my patience? Most definitely. Did I pass that test? Most definitely not. 

I had to skip a couple meals, didn't get a change of clothes for the day, and had to change a bunch of my plans. And I really wasn't patient about it at all. 

With that said, I'm probably not the one to be telling you right now that patience is a virtue... 

But what I can tell you is that all my complaining didn't change a single thing about the situation. It didn't get me home sooner, it couldn't get me a change of clothes, and it certainly didn't keep me from spending hours waiting around in the airport. 

The only thing my attitude truly affected was myself and probably some of the people around me. 

I don't read my Bible near as much as I should, but I'm fairly certain it doesn't ever say, "When life throws curveball after curveball, you should just get mad and complain." And if it does, I sure would like to know what version you're reading... 

Instead, the Bible actually contains all sorts of good words on the opposite attitude- Patience.

Just one example is 1 Corinthians 13:4, which says that "Love is patient." 

If I say I love God with all my heart, but my heart isn't patient, that's not really love. And, if I say I trust God but I'm not patient with his plans, then I'm not really putting my complete trust in him. There had to be some reason why this happened, and although I may never know it, I still don't have an excuse to not love or trust God with all my heart. 

If I say I'm loving my neighbors and my enemies but I'm not being patient with them, that's not really love. 

And even if I say that I love myself and who I am as a unique handiwork of God's creation but I get so frustrated and worked up instead of being patient, then that's not really love. 

Clearly, this experience was a learning lesson for me. But I suppose if somehow it can reach your heart as well, then maybe that's the first reason I've found to be thankful for having 3 delayed flights in a row. In the end, love is patient and if I'm a follower of Christ, then I should be characterized as patient. If hours sitting around in an airport is what it takes for me to learn that, then so be it.