The Best Medication for Turbulent Times

I surveyed the dark red, single engine airplane we stood in front of as I listened to my new husband say, “It’s absolutely ridiculous to own a vehicle you don’t know how to operate!”  

The airplane that now had my name on the title. The turbulence in my tummy was growing. I gulped. Visions of me soaring through the air filled my head … followed immediately by flashes of me crashing in a blaze of flames.

It seemed reasonable to know how to operate the radio. It even made sense to learn how to land the plane in an emergency, but to actually become a licensed pilot freaked me out.

“I don’t know,” I said. “It looks complicated.”
“It’s not hard at all. I’ll teach you.”

You can already tell this will go badly, can’t you?

There is truth in the old adage that a husband should not attempt to teach his wife to drive. Driving lessons are a lot cheaper than a divorce, but this isn’t a blog about marriage.

“Okay,” I said, more out of a desire to be cooperative than adventurous. “Let’s do it.”

Learning to fly an airplane was horribly hard for me; all the technical, weather-related, and directional stuff vexed me. To top it off, my own flying made me sick. The joggling and bouncing in the little plane while doing the training maneuvers made my stomach churn.

Dramamine was a lifesaver for me. I swallowed pieces of little yellow pills for the first forty hours of my training before I successfully completed my testing to become a licensed pilot.

Can I get a whoop! whoop!?

I’m still plagued by motion sickness if the air is turbulent or if the waves are rough. If the swings are tall or the carnival rides turn me upside down. You can tell me it’s all in my head but I am still hurling into an airsick bag.

While Dramamine commands my upset stomach to calm down,
it does nothing to change my circumstances.

I can still feel the lurching of the plane. I can still feel the boat pitch on the waves. I can still see the ground disappear below me as the roller coaster tosses me around. 

Turbulence, big waves and seasons of upheaval are part of life.

People disappoint.
Accidents happen.
Mistakes are made.
Foolishness prevails against wisdom.
Life happens.

We may not be able to change the circumstances but there is a solution.

Just as Dramamine calms the upset tummy,
God’s Presence can rule over your anxiety,
ease your burdens, and turn your turmoil into trust.

When I am wrought with angst over things I cannot change, this is what I do.

1.

Read God’s Word for proof that God reigns.
Choose Psalm 23 or Psalm 121 or Mark 4:35-41 (where Jesus calms the storms).

2.

Pray for peace and beg God to intercede in the circumstances.
Ask him to rule over your emotions and guide you through the storm.

3.

Surrender what you cannot control to Him who is more than able to rule over you and your circumstances.

Girlfriend, I don’t know what’s happening in your life right now. I do know when life is turbulent and it feels like you’re going to die, that God is faithful.

When your options are gone and you turn your eyes upon Jesus, He will be your ever-present help in times of trouble. When you call out to him, Holy Spirit will lead you through.

What do you do when life is reeling out of your control? Is there a passage of scripture that speaks to your heavy heart?

Prayer: God in Heaven, you know how all things will turn out. Be my peace in the storm. Be my guide in the desert. Be my hope in the midst of my turmoil. Rule over my circumstances and rule over me. I trust you to lead me. In Jesus Name, amen.