Once again, life has taught me something about life—this time, somewhere around 35,000 feet.
Anyone who’s traveled with kids knows the challenge. Their frontal lobes—those critical centers for reasoning and impulse control—are still under construction. So we hear the familiar refrains:
“Are we there yet?”
“I’m tired.”
“Why can’t I have that?”
And a personal favorite: “Why can’t I sit by the window?”
We had just wrapped up a family vacation, flying cross-country with my daughter, her husband, and their three children. It was a nonstop flight (praise God for small miracles), but even five hours in a metal tube can feel eternal when you’re navigating a grandchild-designed seating chart.
The youngest, age 8, had thoughtfully mapped out our seat assignments—three kids, three adults—both going and returning. When I asked whether Abba would get a window or aisle seat, she smiled and assured me, “You’ll be pleased.”
Famous last words.
As we boarded, I discovered my “assigned” window seat already claimed by the nearly 13-year-old, seated and settled in. “Get up!” said Mom. But I, trying to keep the peace, waved it off: “It’s okay. I’ll take the middle.” Spoiler alert: five hours in a middle seat is never okay. Memo to self: that won’t happen again.
On the return trip, the 10-year-old grandson tried to renegotiate his own “upgrade.” But this time, Mom was ready. “Abba has the aisle. Dad has the window. You’re in the middle.” His protest was immediate: “But I don’t want the middle!” With parental calm, she replied, “You sat by the window last time. You can’t have the best seat every time.”
Tears came. Frustration flared. But Mom didn’t budge. The young man eventually took his middle seat with a mix of pout and resignation.
That moment reminded me of another protestor: Jonah. After Nineveh repented, Jonah was livid that God showed mercy rather than wrath. His expectations weren’t met, and he didn’t like it.
“But the Lord replied, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’” (Jonah 4:4, NIV)
Jonah never answered. Instead, when God removed a plant that had given him shade, he declared dramatically, “I’m so angry I wish I were dead!” (v. 9)
That’s not just anger—that’s a total loss of perspective.
Back on the plane, the love of a father entered the scene. “Do you want the window seat?” he gently asked his son. “No,” came the tearful response. The offer was repeated, but the answer didn’t change.
At first, I saw it as stubbornness: If I can’t have it when I want it, I don’t want it at all. But the more I sat with it, the more I saw something deeper—a quiet acknowledgment that maybe what I wanted wasn’t best after all.
That’s not childishness. That’s the first step toward maturity. Spiritual maturity.
How often do we do the opposite—clinging tightly to attitudes and demands we know aren’t God-honoring, insisting (as the old commercial says) on having it “our way”?
Jesus gave us the ultimate example. Facing the horror of the cross, He prayed honestly: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me.” But His next words cut through all human self-will: “Yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42, NIV)
That’s surrender. That’s trust. That’s spiritual maturity—knowing that God’s way is not just better, but best.
Later, after some quiet time, snacks, and a cartoon or two, the once-upset traveler fell asleep—resting peacefully on the arm of his father.
And there it was: the lesson.
God, give me the grace to do the same—to trust You enough to let go of what I think I want, and to rest instead in the assurance of Your will, Your way, and Your timing.
Categories: Acts17seventeen Christian Christianity Follower Of Jesus God's time Prayer
Pastor Mark
Mark, the eighth of nine children born to Reuben and Henrietta Meeks—dedicated church planters with nearly 30 congregations established across California’s Central Valley—is a preacher's kid who grew up immersed in faith and service. With over forty years of experience teaching, discipling, and ministering to communities, including the hospitalized and incarcerated, Mark responded to God's call to pastoral ministry. He holds degrees in civil engineering and public administration, as well as a Master’s in Theology from Fuller Seminary, equipping him to serve with both practical insight and spiritual depth.
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