This weekend, my husband and I were flying from Toronto to Dallas, by way of Chicago. Our simple day of travel was turned on its head when thunderstorms in the Chicago area forced a full closure of our connecting airport. We spent most of the day – and the next – sitting around in airports, either waiting for our delayed first flight or trying to figure out what to do when our flights were canceled at O’Hare.

Our experience made me realize how quickly such a difficult and stressful situation can cause me to forget about relying on God. It’s so easy to simply feel annoyed and frustrated when my plans are messed up because of circumstances outside my control. And I can allow that frustration to propel me towards strategies that will maximize my comfort and convenience over the all the other people around me, caught in the same situation. When that sense of scarcity sets in, I tend to scramble to move faster and act smarter than everyone else. My selfishness and autonomy can easily take over.

But God made me aware of this temptation this weekend, and in His mercy, He also showed me His love as well. In the midst of the temptations, I was still able to notice and be grateful for all the many gifts God offered in the midst of the situation. We discovered cozy places to sit during the hours we waited. Several times He sent us kind-hearted fellow travelers - also stranded - who shared smiles, warmth, advice and assistance. Our friend and administrator spent an hour on hold with the airline on our behalf, so that we didn’t have to stand in the customer service line that was almost ¾ of a mile long. And, even though our luggage had gone on without us, leaving us with just the clothes on our backs, we ended up spending the night in a very comfortable hotel.

So, after being delayed for 25 hours, when we finally arrived at our destination, I had a different story to share than I had expected to, one of gratitude in the midst of difficulty and goodness in the midst of chaos. I felt very cared for by God, even if things didn’t go as I had wanted or planned. And, if I had not resisted temptation and paid attention to the gifts, I could have missed all that love.