Lost and Found

So many times in life when things don’t go our way, it is so easy to get frustrated and downright mad! You may not be that way, but I know I am. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to ask God for help during those times that can be so very frustrating. Having said that, I am not surprised that I got tested in the very first week of the New Year. I returned back to Nashville from Florida on Tuesday.

I got off the plane and made my way to the baggage claim. I waited and waited and waited. As each bag continued to circle and be taken off the conveyor belt, I got a little more concerned. It wasn’t long before the light went out and the conveyor belt stopped, so I quickly went to the Delta baggage claim to let them know that my bags had not arrived. “I can handle this,” I thought. There are three or four more flights coming in tonight…it will surely be on one of those so I’m not going to let this bother me. I put in the claim and go home. Before long, it was 11:00 pm and I called the baggage claim and still no bags. I started to get a little more frustrated. I was being tested, but I was still able to maintain my composure. I just thought I’ll go to sleep, and it will surely be here in the morning.

All of that only to have another whole day pass and my bags are still not here. I called at about midnight last night and I was told that they have no earthly idea where my bags are. They didn’t even know if they were in Atlanta or not, which is what I had been told all along. So, I started getting more and more concerned, still being tested with the frustration. I got up this morning and was fighting to keep from getting more and more frustrated, but I was determined not to lose my cool. I did pray and say, “Lord, I give this to You. I’m asking You to make a way for my bags to get to me.” I decided that if I cast my care on Him right at the beginning of the third day of lost bags, that I would have much more peace and be able to do what I needed to do.

This morning turned into afternoon and still no bags. One of my staff members happened to overhear some discussion about my bags being lost in Atlanta and she spoke up, “No way! My father-in-law is one of the supervisors for the lost baggage department in Atlanta.” She immediately made a call to him and within less than two hours, he had notified us that he had found the bags and was putting them on a flight to Nashville tonight!!

I’m sharing this with you because my normal tendency would be to be so ticked off and mad that I would take it out on everybody else, but I am learning to handle the outward trials that come at me and affect me on the inside. I really do feel like I passed this test, and I am so encouraged that I did. I may have another one and fail it tomorrow, but I am determined to use today as a reminder of how faithful God is, even in the little things. Don’t know if you’ve had any lost bags lately or any other frustrating things happen, but if it happens to you in the future, I hope you will remember this little story of mine and let it be a reminder to you to ask God for His help in the final outcome.

I’d love for you to share in the comments section about a very frustrating experience or trial you’ve had that you learned from or overcame.

Until next time,

Nancy