Faith over fear, anxiety & frustration!

We got up early to prepare for our flight back home. We didn't get to the airport two to three hours before because this particular airport was small, it was usually slow, and you could get through fairly quickly with no issues. The airport is so tiny that it only has one terminal. To our surprise, when we arrived, the line to check in was longer than ever. After getting through check-in, the TSA line was even worse. It was 20 minutes before our flight was scheduled to take off before we reached the front of that line. Then after that, I was flagged to be checked more thoroughly. I was frustrated and anxious, and afraid I would miss my flight. With five minutes left before boarding the plane, after the TSA check-in, I began to run through the terminal to get to my gate before the door closed. Whew! I made it in just the nick of time! As I boarded the plane and sat down, I breathed deeply. Those feelings of frustration, anxiety, and fear were gone almost immediately. I felt a sense of relief that I had made it! At that moment, I couldn't help but think sometimes we get into a pattern of normalcy. When our normal becomes disrupted or changed in any way, be it positive or negative, we may become frustrated, anxious, and fearful. Sometimes we get so used to what we are used to that we no longer prepare for the "what ifs" that may arise. Sometimes we also get so comfortable or complacent that we fail to take those "leaps of faith" that may catapult us in a direction that may elevate our lives. This experience reinforced two things. One is the importance of preparation. If we prepare for the "what ifs," anxiety, frustration, and fear have no place because we removed the barrier of unpreparedness and replaced it with preparedness. The second lesson is worrying never changes an outcome, and emotions are temporary. You may even find that you caused all the additional stress that worry brings for things to work out anyway. Never allow transitory things to control you. Run past the frustration, fear, and anxiety, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Joshua 1:9 says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened. Do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

#beprepared #faithoverfear #joshua1v9