I was on a plane to Benin from Abuja recently. One can see the joy, big laughter, and confessions of the 2022 miracles before we boarded. On that trip, the plane was filled with returning Delegates of one of the political parties.
I had a rough day traveling from the Northeast to Benin, with about three hours of lay-by at Abuja. Before the plane commenced taxiing, I had gone into a deep slumber because of stress.
At a point, turbulence jolted me into wakefulness with the shouts of Jesus from many passengers! When I woke, it was as if the plane was flipping over. Inside, the plane was dark, and the cloud outside was so thick that one could not see anything.
I didn’t know when I said, “God, I beg you, forgive us our sins, and let no life be lost on this voyage. Protect us as you protected Paul on his trip to Rome. Father, do not let our teeth ache for the apple we did not eat. My God and Father, forgive those who collected money from several presidential aspirants and voted for only one of them without refunding the money of others to them. Please, Baba God, do not allow the curses of those who felt betrayed by the Delegates, who collected their money but did not vote for them, to affect this plane.
When such events happen, we tend to be more pious than the Men and Women of God. I am sure those who double-dipped during the convention also asked God for forgiveness, saying, “God, if you can land us safely, we won’t do so again in the future.” Until the plane landed, my heart was in my mouth. The truth is, the turbulence was purely due to a natural phenomenon- severe lousy weather.
On landing, several passengers headed for the washroom to pee. It was that serious. As passengers waited for their luggage, we got information that one of the airlines canceled its flight from Lagos due to the same bad weather. So, it had nothing to do with the delegates’ double-dipping. But that is how the mind works.
I try to learn some lessons in every situation with my everyday encounter. Firstly, it is always better to have a clear conscience, bear no grudges, be quick to forgive, not wish anyone evil, and be in a happy and prayerful mood because death can meet us anywhere.
Secondly, it is not good to ascribe our life travails to the fault or sins of others. God did not promise us a life without storms. But he promised us that if we believed in Him and remained faithful to His course, he would be with us in the storms of life, and the storms shall not consume us. In all things, let us know that bad things also happen to good people.
Thirdly, no matter the storm we encounter, let us always trust in God, who knows the end from the beginning.
Fourthly, judging people based on media reports and gossip is wrong. Though the primaries were heavily monetized, there could still be a few God-fearing people who would have stuck with kingdom principles. So we should not judge people by the apparel they adorn.
May the Lord keep us safe under His canopy as we wake into a new dawn in every sphere of life. As we travel, may the Lord continue to grant us journey mercies.
Grace and peace!!!
