Articles
Before The Crisis Comes
"We are going to be in the Hudson." These were the words of Captain Chesley Sullenberger spoken with remarkable calmness, moments before landing his crippled US Airways Airbus in New York's Hudson River.
February 15, 2009, had begun as an ordinary day. In fact, Captain Sullenberger had just taken off and spoken to the control tower saying, "Good day." Moments later he spoke saying, "Ah, this is, uh Cactus 1549, hit birds, lost thrusts in both engines. We are turning back towards LaGuardia."
It soon became evident that landing at LaGuardia was not an option and this heroic captain headed toward the only runway he could reach. He landed smoothly in the Hudson River saving the lives of all 150 passengers on board.
How did he remain so calm in such a crisis and perform so well? Sullenberger had spent practically his whole life preparing for the five minute crucible that was Flight 1549. He got his pilot's license at 14, flew fighter jets in the Air Force, investigated air disasters, mastered glider flying and even studied the psychology of how cockpit crews behave in a crisis.
Preparing Before The Crisis
This is what we as Christians will also have to do. The day will come when spiritually, "we are going to be in the Hudson." It may be the death of a loved one, sickness, divorce, an unplanned pregnancy, a miscarriage, addiction to substances or some totally unimagined thing.
We must anticipate the day of trouble. Before the splash in the Hudson, Sullenberger told his passengers, "Brace for impact." So must we. There is simply no way to live without ever experiencing crisis of some sort. Jesus tells His disciples, "In this world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33). We need to hear Him say, "See, I have told you beforehand" (Matthew 24:25). If we understand that trials are inevitable, then we will not be thrown into a panic when they come.
It is also vital that we understand up front that trials and crisis are allowed by God to test us and strengthen us in our faith. He is not working to make us bitter but to make us better (1 Peter 1:6-7; James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-4). Even Job, who lost his possessions, his children, and health with wave after wave, said "When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).
Mental "dress rehearsals" are also helpful. Sullenberger had already put himself in mock situations before the dreadful day came. He thought ahead about how he wanted to react if it ever came. I think of Daniel, who on his way to Babylonian captivity, "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself" (Daniel 1:8). He envisioned possible scenarios and was cool, calm, and collected when things got hot.
We must make good use of the calm before the storm. Someone has said, "We must build a strong faith in the good times to sustain us in the bad times." Spiritual stamina comes daily as we learn God on an intimate level. Bible study, prayer, and devotion builds spiritual muscle. We read about men and women who have gone before us and by God's grace endured every trial. We long to be in such company. We reach back for the same grit and determination. We trust the same God who delivered them all and will deliver us. He has a proven track record! We know that while He may not soon take our thorn away, He will provide more than enough grace to hold us up (2 Corinthians 12:7-11). The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you. And too, we think back to all the previous trials through which God has led us. Our smaller bumps and bruises prepare us for the bigger ones.
Let us also never forget that God is still on the throne in all our trials. He promises to not allow a trial that is greater than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). I quite often say, "A great trial means that God believes you have great faith." It makes you smile to know that God has confidence in you and believes you can withstand even this! It makes you want to prove to yourself what God already believes. Believe that He is at the wheel. I have penned in my wide-margin Bible. "When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He keeps his eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. His loving heart knows how much and how long."
Before the crisis comes, we need to nurture a good crop of friends and supporters. It is sometimes said, "Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone." Well, I haven't found it so in the family of God (Romans 12:15). Trust me, when trials come, you will be thankful when support comes rolling in. People will hug you, listen, cry, and offer all the help they can.
Finally, we need to think ahead about the great impact we can make for God when we endure such moments gracefully. The death of Lazarus in John 11 was a crisis moment. But Jesus saw it as a great opportunity to demonstrate the power of God and bring people to faith. People are always watching. They wonder if faith in God really makes a difference in the storms of life. We will never have a greater opportunity to show faith at work than in those times.
And won't it be wonderful when we land safely on heaven's shore? We will finally see the great Pilot of our lives. The beauty of His home and the family gathered there will be so grand. We will look differently at the days we went "in the Hudson". God will be glorified and everything will be alright! "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
