What’s Your Middle Seat?
A Guest Blog Post by Tom Walker
I Thessalonians 5:18 – “In Everything Give Thanks”
“Thank you for a middle seat? But LORD, you know that I don’t like middle seats. You made me with big legs and aging plumbing and I DON’T WANT to sit in a middle seat!”
That is a loose rendition of the ongoing conversation that I had with the LORD when we checked in at the British Airways counter in Dallas. You see, for the last 24 hours I had been trying desperately to get online and secure an aisle seat. That is pretty important to me. Having been to India seven times previously, I know how long these international flights can get and to be stuck in a middle seat is not my idea of a good thing.
My frustration mounted as I would jump online and log into AA.com to secure my seat, only to be forwarded to British Airways site where I would get a message saying, “Because your reservation has been made through American Airlines we will transfer you back to AA.com.” I felt like a ping pong ball! After this happened a half-dozen times, my head was getting dizzy and my temperature rising. Two times I called Customer Service at AA, only to be told that they had sent the seating requests to BA; but, they had not yet been confirmed. ”Secure your seats when you check in at the airport.”
So, I prayed the LORD would work it out since I had done everything I could to secure an aisle seat. That is why when I checked in at the counter at Dallas I was not very happy, and thus the afore-mentioned conversation.
In the moments that followed the Holy Spirit began to ask me, “Can you not trust me in this? Won’t you thank me for a middle seat?” It took a few minutes of listening, but then I was able to pray, “Thank you LORD for seat 47B. I don’t like it, and I don’t particularly care for your sense of humor on this one, but thank you for seat 47B.”
I did it! I gave thanks for something that I did not particularly care for, but I did it. This is progress for me. And do you know something? It really wasn’t that bad. I sat by a Brit who was returning home from training with Snap On Tools and who was amiable, even understanding of this old guy. It’s not natural for us to thank the LORD for the things we don’t like, but it is possible.
What is your “middle seat?” What is the thing that the LORD is allowing in your life today that you don’t particularly like? May I make a suggestion? Give thanks in everything!
Note: We have arrived in Visakhapatnam and are preparing our hearts today to begin ministering to the Andhra Pradesh youth conference. I will be sharing two truths with them today that I am trusting will encourage and challenge them to serve the LORD:
- God chose you because He loves you.
- God’s will for you can be known.
Thank you for your prayers!
Your co-laborers,
Tom & Janet Walker
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