I FLY A LOT.
And I like Southwest Airlines. I know, I know, I know. Southwest is one of those airlines that you either love or love to hate. And no matter which side of the fence you are on, you will let people know your opinion.
For those haters, let me guess why you despise Southwest. It’s the boarding process, right?
For those not familiar with this process, Southwest does not assign seats. You are assigned a boarding number and that number determines when you get to go on the airplane. Once you are on the airplane, you are free to pick any seat that you would like.
For those Southwest fans, you probably like many of same things that I like about them.
I like the boarding process.
I like to pick my own seat (front row/window seat or exit row/window seat are my two favorites).
I like the consistent service provided by Southwest. I like the humor from the flight attendants.
I like the friendly smiles when boarding and the sincere thank you from the pilots when we reach our destination.
I LIKE THAT MY BAGS FLY FREE.
I fly enough to get to go in the special line at ticketing to bypass all the people who have been standing in line forever.
I fly enough to skip the security line AND keep my shoes on.
I fly enough to be one of the first to board.
On most jetways at most airports, I see a familiar sign that gets overlooked thousands of times each day.
CAUTION, UNEVEN SURFACES.
On a recent flight, this sign caught my attention like never before. As I walked underneath it, I processed those three words.
CAUTION, UNEVEN SURFACES.
The jetway looked so long and lonely.
I turned around and took this picture and began to think about what I just read and asked myself this question.
“Have I ever been concerned with the surface while walking in a jetway?”
The answer is no. I have never walked down the jetway wondering if I was going to be tripped up because of an uneven surface.
Recently, we were guests on the Northern Hills Church podcast. Click here to listen.
The host of the podcast is a good friend of ours. He is also a newlywed. When we recorded the podcast, he let us know that they were ONLY three days away from celebrating their 6-month anniversary.
We teased him about still counting the months and how cute they were as newlyweds. But this is what we told him. No matter how great your marriage is right now at only 6-months in, the storms are coming. There will be a difficult road ahead. The foundation that you plant your marriage on now will determine if you can withstand the storms that will undoubtedly come.
CAUTION. UNEVEN SURFACES.
What are you going to do when the uneven surfaces creep into your fairy tale marriage?
Are you going to give in to the temptation to stay a little later at work to avoid going home?
Are you going to spend a little more money at Target than you budgeted to get back at him for having a recent guys night out that he came home late from?
Maybe for some reading this, you are living on Uneven Surface Drive right now. The caution sign has come and gone. You are barely surviving to make it through each day.
You want to give up.
You want this to be over.
You wish it could be like it was years ago when you fell in love.
You long for a marriage that grows stronger when going through a storm and not one that grows farther and farther apart.
For others, maybe it’s your job situation. Everything had been going great. You got the promotion and the corner office. You bought the new car and had plans for adding the pool to the backyard.
But then the uneven surface stepped into the picture. The company began to struggle, and the jobs were disappearing. Yours was one of them. Now you find yourself unemployed, trying to determine if your life even has purpose.
You begin to drink more than you had in the past. If you drown the reality with the bottle, the pain goes away for a moment, only to creep back in no matter how much you try to stop it.
CAUTION, UNEVEN SURFACES.
Keep reading, there is hope.
Back to the jetway with the sign.
Too often, we go through life the same way. Sometimes even ignoring the warning sign.
“I’m good. There is no uneven surface ahead. I will be alright.”
But guess who has taken notice of that sign and the uneven surface?
The wounded soldier who is bound to a wheel chair and his only way to move is to push with his arms.
The elderly woman who cannot walk anymore on her own and must use a walker to help balance the steps she takes.
The grandfather who must use a cane to prevent from falling when taking short strides.
The parent pushing their special needs child in the custom stroller because their loved one has never walked a day in their life.
Those are the people who take notice of the sign because of their experiences. They take notice because they have been through uneven surfaces.
When you’ve been through stuff, you are aware of stuff.
When you’ve been through stuff, you can rejoice even through the pain.
Someone reading this is asking this question. “How I am I supposed to rejoice during THIS?”
I don’t know what your THIS is, but I do know that there is an answer to your question.
Jesus. His name is Jesus. Jesus is the answer.
In John, chapter 16, Jesus tells his disciples that people will want to kill them because they were following Him. They supported Jesus and his ministry and the religious people were not happy.
An uneven surface doesn’t get any more uneven than someone trying to kill you.
Jesus foretells his death on the cross and informs his disciples that there will be a day when they will no longer see him but then they will see him again after a while.
16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
What Jesus is saying is that when uneven surfaces come, embrace the journey, lean on Him, ASK HIM ANYTHING, and experience unwavering joy.
When you’ve been through stuff, you can rejoice even through the pain.
When you’ve been through stuff, you are aware of stuff.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
No matter what you are going through, the glory will outweigh the suffering. How do I know this? Because I believe the Bible to be 100% truth because I have experienced it. Nobody can take that truth away from me. That same truth is waiting for you.
Jesus concludes chapter 16 with one of my favorite verses in the entire Bible.
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Friends, don't miss this...
Jesus died on a cross for you.
The tomb is empty.He has overcome the world.
He beat death, so you can too.
He overcame the world, so you can follow in His footsteps.
Joy is waiting on the other side of the uneven surface.
There is just one thing that you must do. You have to trust Jesus to get through the pain.
I believe that you can do it and so does the God who created you. Trusting Jesus could be the more important decision you will ever make and you can make that decision right now.
God wants to meet you on your uneven surface.
[Bryan]
About Bryan Moffitt
He is a speaker, writer, and FATHER To Addyson & Cayson. His passion is to see others experience freedom through an authentic relationship with Jesus. He is a marathon runner who loves to cheer on the Kansas City Royals. Bryan is married to his best friend, Shayla, and together they are co-founders of Anguished Hearts. Follow them on Facebook.
The Answer – Jeremy Camp
The song below has been one of my favorites over the past few months. This video shows so much joy in the faces of people with real stories of real pain. Pay close attention to the joy on their faces when they begin to smile. Pay close attention to the joy on Jeremy’s face when he sings the line, “Jesus, He is the answer”. I will never grow tired of seeing people experience true freedom and everlasting joy. Enjoy.
So many questions, the world is reaching
So many hurting, so many lost
With all this thriving, who can we lean on?
Creations crying, out from the dark
I know the answer, to every question
The one solution, to every fear
I know my helper, where it comes from
Jesus, He is the answer
He sees our sadness, He feels our sorrow
And in our weakness, He is strong
He holds the weight of, all of our failings
Greedy is our sin but greater the cross
I know the answer, to every question
The one solution, to every fear
I know my helper, where it comes from
Jesus, He is the answer
For every heart that's breaking
For every soul that's shaking
For every sickness, there's healing in Your hands
Let every heart awaken
To see it's You who saves us
You are my help and the rock on which I stand
You are the answer, to every question
The one solution, to every fear
You are my helper, where it comes from
Jesus, You are the answer
Oh Jesus, You are the answer
You are the answer
You are the answer
You are the answer