God Had Other Plans for Me That Day

         -A Conversation of Grace

Traveling home on a plane from a business trip, I was tired and just wanted to take time to rest. I was on the window seat of a plane that has three seats across on each side. There was a man in the aisle seat and no one next to me so I was confident that I would not be expected to keep up a conversation and I could take a pillow and rest my head against the side of the plane and catch a few winks. However, that was not God’s intent.

All was quiet until the plane leveled off. The gentleman in the aisle seat pulled out his work and proceeded to spread his work out. He took up his whole seat. Then expanded to fill up the seat next to me and before I could dose off, his stuff was even on my seat.

Now I am a person who likes my own space. I do not like people encroaching on my domain. I paid for this seat and it was my private area. (I tend to forget that it is not my space but God’s space and He is letting me use it.) So I sat there getting more and more upset. Do I just shove his stuff back in his direction? …… Do I ask him politely to move his things from my seat? Here is where God moved in. I looked at the gentleman and said something like. “Looks like you are working hard. Who do you work for?” He responded politely and we started a conversation. I can not tell you how it came up, but we started talking about one of those taboo topics, religion.

He was from Pakistan and very into his religion. He was also, I am sorry to say much more knowledgeable about the Bible than me. He could tell me what we believed and he explained just why that made no sense to him and how I had to be wrong. We talked the full trip both giving our sides of our beliefs. By the time the plane landed, I believe he was wondering if he had the correct belief system. I remember at the end one question he asked that I was not sure how to answer. He asked how I could be so sure I was right. All I could say is that God put the belief in both my head and in my heart and I just know.

After our encounter there are things I wished I had said. But I trust that God put him in my path and that the Holy Spirit gave me the words he needed to hear. So, even if you do not feel that you know the Bible that well you still have plenty to say - tell people what you believe and feel and leave it to the Holy Spirit to move on their hearts and souls.

By the way once we started talking, he removed is work from both my seat and the seat next to me. In fact he put it away all together.

God’s richest blessings, Pat Sheehy

Do you have a personal witnessing experience you would like to share with others? Please contact Martie Dunnett, Pay Sheehy, or Bill Pfancuff.