Buckle Up: What to do when things feel uncertain

A while ago, a plane from Thailand was headed to London. But a fire shut down Heathrow Airport, and London Gatwick Airport was full and could not handle the traffic. The pilot told all the passengers the situation and then added that he didn’t know where they were going to go. The aircraft ended up landing in Brussels. This is not all that uncommon. I have been on a few diverted flights over the years, but it seems like this might be occurring more frequently these days. Perhaps because of the vastly increased air traffic. Or maybe because of the shortage of air traffic controllers. Or maybe because of the size and/or layout of the flight hubs in major cities. But when the pilot announces, unexpectedly, to fasten your seat belts so we can make an unexpected landing, it does cause anxiety to increase. And when the pilot tells you, “We don’t know where we are going to land,” it brings on a whole other sense of anxiety.

There are multiple meanings of the phrase “fasten your seat belt." The most common one is to secure your seat belt in a vehicle or aircraft for safety before movement, turbulence or takeoff. Another meaning is to prepare yourself for something challenging. It is used as a warning that events may become difficult, intense, or unpredictable. Sometimes it is used to indicate that we should get ready for excitement. It suggests that something thrilling, fun, or high energy is about to happen. Other times it used to indicate that you should brace yourself emotionally. It is used as a soft warning that news or a situation may be emotionally heavy or surprising. And finally, it is used to prepare for a rapid change. It signals that things will shift quickly or dramatically. I heard it a few weeks ago when I was speaking. The speaker before my keynote said, "Fasten your seat belts because AI is changing technology." Sometimes we just don’t know where we are going to land with events, circumstances, emotions, health, business, technology, and career paths. That is why I do what I do—I help people discover where they are going to land (in businesses and other organizations) AND when to fasten their seat belts.

It can be just like that with life itself, can’t it? There are times when life is just up in the air. We have no idea where we are going to land. We don’t know what our path should be. I had a conversation this week with a brilliant aerospace scientist. He has been offered a position with a startup company in a related industry. The jump appears to be very lucrative, but it takes faith to make that jump. I also prayed for a man this week whose wife is going through cancer treatments. Her journey was going quite well until last week when she had to take a break from the drugs. Now, suddenly, the path forward is not so certain.

In Scripture there is a story about a man named Abraham. He was called to go to a place where he would receive an inheritance. It took courage by Abraham because he didn’t know where he was going and he didn’t know what would happen when he got there.

Using the above story as a metaphor, would he be able to land there or would he have to find another place to land? Sometimes we feel like God is telling us, “Fasten your seat belts, we are going to land here.” Sometimes we feel like he is telling us that even though we don’t know where we are going. He is in control. That happened to Abraham. God called him to go somewhere, but he did not know where that was. But Abraham obeyed and went where God called him. God in his love always wills what is best for us and in his wisdom. He always knows what is best.

This is called faith. When we get on an airplane, we have faith that the pilot will get us to where we are going. We have faith that he will keep us safe. We have faith that if we have issues with fuel, airports, weather, turbulence etc., he will find the best route for us. And we have faith that the air traffic controllers are watching out for us. There is an ancient proverb that says, "Trust in God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.” God is the only pilot for our lives, and we need to trust Him. He will direct our path, but we also need courage and strength to obey Him. In other words, there are times when we just need to fasten our seat belts.

I don’t know what drove me to write this, but I am going to throw it out there and ask you to let me know what you think, it may be the first and last time I do this!

Fasten your seat belt-

The world is about to turn the page,

and every corner of the sky

Is trembling with unopened stories.

God has been listening

For your first brave breath.

The one that says you’re ready

To meet what waits beyond the bend.

Hold on tight-

The road is stitched with miracles

And mischief

With storms that speak in blazing flashes

And quiet fields that know your name.

Fasten your seat belt, warrior.