Your Life Is Making a Difference Without You Knowing It | Lana Bach

Full Transcript

Transcribed from the episode audio. Names, places and scripture references have been corrected, and caption noise has been removed.

The two young brothers ran as fast as they could through the airport. They must make it to the gate before that jetway door is closed. Out of breath, passing gate after gate after gate, they could finally see it. Gate number 64. Did they make it?

Their heart sank. The door had already been closed. They missed their flight. Looking back, they knew it would be tough for them to catch that last flight home to Michigan. But this airport was the closest to them, even though it was over a 2-hour drive.

And that’s driving the speed limit, which they pushed the entire drive. But the phone call from their mom was of great urgency. Boys, come home right away. Your father took a turn for the worst, and he isn’t expected to live more than another day or two. But now all that rushing, it was all for nothing.

They missed the plane. Hi, Mom. We just missed the flight. They closed the door. What now, Mom?

She could hear the desperation in her son’s voice. She felt sick to her stomach. But there was little time left for her husband, so she did the only thing she knew to do. “We need to pray,” she responded. “But mom, the doors are already closed.

It’s too late. She insisted, “No, we need to pray right now. God can make a way. You need to see your father. He’s dying.”

So right there, she prayed. “Lord, you know my boys need to come home. Please make a way.” Suddenly, within a few moments, the door to the jetway flew open, and passengers were flooding back into the terminal gate. An announcement followed over the speakers.

Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the inconvenience, but this flight will be briefly delayed. The flight had been delayed. God heard their mom’s prayer. It was that short delay, but long enough to allow those brothers to board that flight and arrive home just in time to say goodbye to their dad before he died hours later of COVID pneumonia. This story is true.

Those brothers are the sons of a very close friend of mine who lost her husband to COVID. So why am I telling you this story? Have you ever asked why something is happening in your life? Why? Why me?

Why now? Although the obvious lesson of this story is that God answered that mother’s prayer by delaying the flight, allowing the brothers to board and for them to arrive home in time to say goodbye to their dying father. For me, this story brought another question to mind. Why was the flight delayed? What event happened that made it possible for these two brothers to say goodbye to their dying father?

Sounds like an odd question, right? But I believe this story sets an example of how we all unknowingly impact the lives of others around us. Not just people we know, but often it is people we may never know. See, the reason this flight was delayed is because a woman who had just boarded that plane became ill and for the lack of a polite word was sick all over the inside of that plane. In turn, that forced the crew to deboard the plane and give it a thorough cleaning before they could reboard and take off.

That poor sick woman had no idea that her misfortune was the only reason those brothers were able to say goodbye to their dying father. That event for them was a life-changing situation. I’m sure that woman while being sick all over the plane was asking herself, “Why? Why now? I’m so embarrassed.” and she probably never discovered that her mishap was actually the good fortune for those brothers.

I’m not saying God made her sick, but I am saying there definitely was a purpose in it happening at that very moment in that very place. Coincidence? Have you ever asked yourself why something is happening in your life? Why me? Why now?

The human mind and heart searches for meaning in difficult situations. Was it our fault? Was it someone else’s fault? Was it an act of God? Sometimes we discover the reason, but most times we don’t.

If we can find meaning in our adversity, it not only helps us survive that challenging experience, but it also helps us comprehend that there’s a greater purpose that can emerge from it. The key is to focus less on our difficult circumstance and more on how we react to it. Looking beyond what is happening in that moment in our life and realize that in that tragic event, we have the ability to touch someone else’s life. Maybe not at that very moment, but in ways you may never have imagined. I do know this that your life extends beyond just you.

I feel that life’s circumstances are not there to break us but to accomplish a bigger picture that will impact the lives of others around us even in our most painful journey. Sometimes that difficult event can be more painful and last longer than just being sick on an airplane. It may be something more painful that rocks your world, a challenge that life dealt to your hand. But what you do with that card, how you play it in life is your choice. People who had the greatest influence in this world were faced with severe life challenges.

And I’m sure they may have asked, “Why? Why me? Why now?” Unknowingly, their response to their difficult circumstances impacted the world. For some, sadly, it was only after they died that it became evident of how great their pain turned into such great purpose.

A good example of this is the life of Anne Frank. Many of you know her story. Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who lived with her family in the Netherlands. And on her 13th birthday in June of 1942, she started writing in a red and white plaid diary that she received on that day. One month later, Ann and her family were forced into hiding from the Nazis who occupied the Netherlands.

Two years later, their hiding place was discovered by the German Gestapo. And unfortunately, they were all shipped to concentration camps. It’s believed that Anne died one year later in one of those camps, likely from Typhus. But her diary was found by the woman who helped hide them in the Netherlands and it was published 2 years after Anne’s death. That diary became a classic of war literature condemning the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust.

It sold over 30 million copies, making it one of the world’s most read books. and it was translated into over 70 languages and became a voice for the millions murdered. Yet, it conveyed a powerful message of resilience of many during that horrific time. The book is called The Diary of Anne Frank. Anne had no idea that her two years of writing about the horrors that she and her family were living would impact the entire world for generations and generations to come. Neither do you know as you go through tragic events and pain how your response will affect the world around you.

God doesn’t allow us to know exactly why something is happening in our life. But the fact is he can always bring purpose in that difficult situation. In my life there were numerous times I’ve asked why in the world did this happen. As I look back, I can remember times when my response to difficulty was of no value to anyone around me. I had not yet learned how the value of my life experience could help others.

For instance, in my sophomore year of college, my sweet mom and precious dad decided to divorce. I didn’t understand at the time, and it threw my life of stability into chaos. I loved both of my parents and cringed at the thought of their marriage dissolving. I could not accept this tragedy in our family. And I remember doing everything I could to try and change their minds.

I focused on the why of their divorce. Why did this happen? Why now? How can I fix it? That led me to even more frustration because they had already made up their minds.

So although I had to grieve the loss of our family unit, I could have been more useful if I had learned how to play that card dealt to me in life to help others. It may have been of help to other kids who were dealt the same card. I did not respond well to that crisis and that was of no value to anyone. Of course, at that age, I had no idea how my life experience could help others. But now in this most painful season of my life, as I’m learning to live without my soulmate, my beloved husband, I’ve discovered that my response to widowhood not only impacts me, but with God’s guidance can also be a source of support for other widows.

Just helping them understand the normalcy of little things like wanting to smell his cologne again, the power and healing of tears and how God never left my side and still walks with me every step of the way. You are one of a kind. You have a destiny on this earth. You can make a difference in the lives of those around you. So, when the sudden interruption comes into your life, whether it be the inconvenience of getting sick on an airplane or if you get a flat tire on the freeway or maybe it’s a phone call that changes your life forever and leaves you asking why me?

Why now? I hope you’ll remember that how you respond could very well change the lives of others. It may be someone you know and love or someone who you may never know. Your life is making a difference in this world without you even knowing it. And that, my friend, is the beauty of life.

Thank you for listening.