Above the Clouds, I Learned to Believe

The first time I was on a plane, I got to sit by the window. As we took off, I saw the buildings and cars on the ground getting smaller and smaller. Before long, we were above the clouds. It was so beautiful and calm, almost like floating in a soft, whitish world in the sky. I thought, wow, that was amazing. For a moment, it didn’t seem real. I was just sitting in a seat thousands of feet off the ground and being calm.

To be honest, the flight was smooth as smooth could be. The plane was not shaking; everything went just alright. Although I have heard many people share that there are times when planes do shake in the sky, "turbulence." It is when the plan is shaken by the wind. When this does happen, the pilot usually grabs the speaker to calm all the many passengers. Statements made by pilots sound something like, “Well, we are just passing through some rough air. Please stay in your seats. We are in complete control.”

And people listen. They stay in their seats. They trust that the pilot is really going to get them where they wanted to go, even if they have never met the guy or seen his face. Why? Maybe it is because he wears a uniform. Maybe it is because he was in the cockpit. Or maybe it is because we all know that pilots are trained for times like these.

That’s when I thought, isn’t it amazing how we trust someone we do not know someone we have never met with our lives, just because they are flying the plane?Yet, when it comes to trusting God the one who made the skies, the earth, and all of life, we often struggle. We want to understand everything. We want answers before we believe. We want complete control of the journey before we go to the next step in life.

That is not how faith works. Faith is believing the one who is leading you even when the way is not clear. Faith is holding to the way of God even when everything in your life feels confusing. Just like people trust the pilot in the middle of the storm, we are also called to trust God to help us in the middle of the pressure of life. You may not see Him, but He sees you. You may not hear His voice, but He is always speaking peace into your situation. He knows the way. He knows how to take you there safely.

That first flight made me think. If I could sit comfortably and trust a human being I have never met to fly me in the air, then why would I find it so difficult to trust God the one who created everything? Life is a journey. Some of the journey may be smooth, and some may shake. But if God is your Pilot, you are in safe hands. Trust Him even when the skies are cloudy. He knows how to get you to your destination.