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“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Have you ever experienced various seasons in life that are affectionately known as the “feast or famine stages?” In recent years, we have been invited to one or two weddings a year, but this year, we have five weddings in a matter of ten weeks, and each of them involve people who are precious and dear to us!  

Last Saturday, as I was preparing to board a flight to attend a close family friend's wedding, I witnessed a situation that caused me to ponder…what if that really would happen?

Our gate agent was announcing the boarding of our plane, and she was at the stage of the boarding process for those seated in “Zone 4” when this frantic woman came running through the terminal and immediately entered the line. She caused such a commotion that I was almost both panicked and relieved for her that she had reached the gate.

But then came the surprised announcement.

As the woman scanned her phone that contained her airline ticket, the gate agent abruptly announced, “Ma’am, this flight is going to New York City. Your ticket is for Boston, and that flight is one gate over!”

The woman instantly let out a scream of shock that was mixed with fear and then immediately resumed her Olympic pace to run towards the right gate where the dreaded words "final boarding call" were being announced.

That poor woman had been running as fast as she could, convinced she was headed in the right direction. Her phone held a ticket. She had a destination in mind. She was doing everything she could to get where she thought she needed to go.

But she was at the wrong gate.

Despite the airport security measures that I know are in place to protect us from others (and ourselves), I couldn’t help but think, what if no one stopped her? Can you imagine the look on her face after landing and the stewardess announcing “Welcome to New York!” when she was planning on arriving in Boston?

Sometimes in life, the same thing happens.

Sometimes, we are so certain that we know where we are going, what we are doing, and how we’re going to do it.

Then, suddenly, God closes a door and announces that you are at the wrong gate!

A plan falls apart. An opportunity disappears. A friendship changes. A dream doesn't work out. A path we were certain was meant for us suddenly comes to an unexpected end.

Our first response may be, “Lord, what happened? This isn't what I expected!”

But perhaps that closed door is not a disappointment. Perhaps it is God's loving redirection.

The Bible reminds us, “A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

A few years ago, my daughter had what seemed like an amazing and almost too good to be true job possibility with a well-known company. This organization flew her out numerous times, and after each interview, they told her how impressed they were and that they would be moving her forward in the interview process. Eventually, she was told that she was one of three final candidates, and she couldn’t help but get excited. And then the door closed, and the job was offered to someone else.  

As painful as that was for her to process, I truly believe that was the Lord stopping her at the gate and saying, “This is not your flight, and I have a much better destination planned for you!”

We will not always understand why God will sometimes change our plans, we just need to trust that He knows best and He sees the entire Flight Plan! His “noes” are not a punishment but perhaps His protection. In addition, sometimes, a closed door is an avenue to something even better than imagined.

So, if you find yourself processing a “curveball” or a closed gate, cling to the promise of the Ultimate Air Traffic Controller that is found in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Have a wonderful and reassuring week knowing that He’s got you!

Mrs. Palka