I can't write a blog on all the blessings of the National WCM Conference without sharing some of struggles that accompanied those blessings. I truly believe that some ministry-minded people share all the amazing aspects of the hand of God but leave out their personal tests, trials and struggles during that same period of time. This leaves a false impression of the work of God. Yes, we want to concentrate on the good but many Christians quit too early in God-ordained tasks because they haven't been instructed on the reality of warfare. Blessings come with burdens to bring balance to our lives.
Bobbye and I had made our plane reservations for the Nashville Women in Christian Media Conference before Bobbye was asked to be the Conference director. As a result, we had to change our tickets to make the WCM Board meeting. Our original tickets were purchased online through Expedia.com. Icalled them for a ticket change.Someone instructed us over the phone that it was less expensive to buy a one way ticket than to change our existing reservation. So, while on the phone with Expedia, we purchased another one-way ticket online, planning on using our existing ticket to get back home.
The Conference was absolutely wonderful and if you haven't read the previous post, please take the time to read it. But traveling home was a whole another story.
When we got to the airport, the Nashville agents at Continental Airlines told us that we did not have reservations to fly home. Our names were listed on the register but because we didn't fly out with Continental, our tickets were forfeited to fly home. That did not make sense to me since Expedia frequently books a different airline for your destination with a different airline home. I was surprised that the Continental agents were not willing to explain this to us. There was no wait but they continued to make us wait as if we were burdening them to find out why we didn't have a reservation for something we paid for. Next I called Expedia.com. We remained on hold or reexplaining the situation to 4 different Expedia representatives for an hour and a half. By this time, we already missed the flight we originally paid for and was booked on.
My frustration was at an all time high as Bobbye and I next needed to walk to the other ticket counters to find a flight home at the full purchase price. We ended up flying home on American for $400 with suitcase charges and a later arrival time.
I was completely frustrated and angry. I knew that we had been given the wrong information but was now stuck without any support from Expedia or even given a kind, timely explanation from Continental. But I also knew that I had a choice to make. Was God's hand so evident at the National Women in Christian Media Conference but not at the airport? Are we willing to accept the total blessing of having a one-on-one lunch date with Kay Arthur 2 days earlier but not accept the cold, harsh challenges of the airline world today? Can God not redeem the money and time? Does my attitude and heart matter more right now to the Lord during this terrible circumstance than all the blessings of the last few days?
I am sure you get the point. Christianity is not about blessings only. God wants to build character. Many times, we claim the peace that surpasses understanding but it is in the difficult circumstances that we learn to maintain that peace while enduring in self control. It is not easy but it is the truth.
If you are clearly being blessed by the hand of God in one aspect of life but then confused by conflicting thoughts and circumstances in other aspects of life, be strong and take heart. God is with you. I love the verse quoted by Job that says, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" And the verse continues to say, "In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." (Job 2:10) If God entrusted Job with 42 chapters in His Book that He says will not pass away, then I want to learn from Job because I want God to entrust me with eternal things too.
With much fruit comes many frustrating and irritating weeds. The wheat grows with the tares. The sheep live with the goats. The blessings are accompanied with burdens. Keep looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. If you are still walking this earth, He is not finished yet. And by keeping our gaze fixed on Him regardless of the circumstance He will make the yoke easy and the burden light. Amen to that. I hope that this helped you even though the Truth even hurts me at times! –TL
