I’ve had four flights cancelled and many delayed this year – here’s what God taught me

My first cancelled flight this year was coming home from Tenerife. I was with a group of friends after a long weekend’s walking holiday (I did most of mine walking from the sun lounger to the pool). It was late in the day, we waited in the terminal and then on aeroplane for hours only to be told, six hours after our take off time, that the flight wouldn’t be moving that day.

I reacted badly. I was tired, ready to go home and fed up. While other members of my group saw the potential for adventure in another night in a new hotel. I sat silently, away from everyone and went straight up to my bedroom when the coach dropped us off. The next morning I was equally antisocial and – let’s face it – crabby.

I was travelling with a friend and this time upped my game even further. We prayed, several times.

I had my chance for redemption when a flight to Belfast for a speaking job got cancelled. I was at Gatwick when I found out I would have to turn around and come home. It was frustrating – sure, but this time I made it work. I got up first thing in the morning for the earliest flight available and was on hand for the event. I was exhausted but not short-tempered. Progress not perfection.

A month or so later, I was in Spain for a friend’s birthday when my return flight got cancelled. I booked another and that then also got cancelled. I was travelling with a friend and this time upped my game even further. We prayed, several times. We had to stay another night, the situation wasn’t ideal but we made it work.

Every day brings opportunities for character development and a cancelled flight is a big one. It’s one of those situations that isn’t the end of the world, but can feel like the end of the world – like locking yourself out losing your wallet. God knows none of us are the finished article, and that we could all do with some refining to his likeness. Patience, being slow to anger and exercising self-control are all qualities that come into play. But more than that, he wants to see the joy, goodness and kindness of the Holy Spirit shine through each of us, even in these difficulties.

He wants to see the joy, goodness and kindness of the Holy Spirit shine through each of us, even in these difficulties.

Over the course of this summer, God has shown me that; inconvenience is not an excuse for bad behaviour. That I can be a person who finds the fun and joy in difficult situations and shares that with others. And that, I should absolutely always start with prayer in the face of a difficult situation. These may sound obvious, but I know I needed reminding and sometimes I bet you will too.