Flying Blind

While flying a plane in thick fog, the pilot cannot be sure of his direction unless he gives full attention to his instruments. In a thunderstorm, the turbulence can toss the plane about; the darkness within the clouds may cause disorientation. Sometimes the pilot will feel as though he is going up or down or turning around. But he cannot depend on his feelings. Only the gyros can be trusted, so the pilot must hang on to the controls in the turbulence, and discipline his mind to concentrate on the instruments-not on the storm.

There is a parallel spiritual truth for the believer in troubled times.

Undisciplined feelings will cause disorientation-even a crash- unless we keep ourselves stabilized by the facts of God’s Word.

Every promise in the Word of God is like a gyro giving information to stabilize us in a specific situation. With daily practice we can learn not to panic, but to believe a specific truth from the Bible fitted for our unique circumstances. By experience we learn not to fight our feelings, but to look away from them to the “instrument panel” of the Word of God which is utterly dependable.

If we will just hang on in the worst of the turbulence, with our mind and heart steadied by the great truths of the Word, and our eyes intently fixed on God, we will eventually break through those black clouds to a clear, tranquil atmosphere; the atmosphere of faith! Faith blows away the clouds of deception and allows truth to prevail in our thought life.

Many of us grope around in the darkness of our trials, using only our natural sight. We find ourselves disoriented and confused. Like the pilot who looks away from the instrument panel into the storm, we begin to lose our bearings and stumble.

But listen to what David writes in Psalm 119:165: “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” The Amplified Bible says it this way, “Great peace is to those who love Your Law, and there is no stumbling block for them.”

Did David know what he was talking about? Was he speaking from experience? Yes he was! Time and again this shepherd boy turned king found himself in dark places, fleeing or fighting for his life. But in every one of those situations David experienced God’s unfailing faithfulness and peace because he chose to focus on and to trust in the Lord.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

written by Anne Richardson