As a Christian who has dedicated everything to the Lord, I was reminded yesterday that our affiliation with Jesus nor our service nor devotion is not an immunity pass against trials and problems in this world.
This may have happened to you in one form or another — a lost wallet, getting held up, late for something really important, you discover your spouse cheated on you, a failed business, diagnosed with sickness, you lost your job, fought with a friend, get falsely accused, lost a bid, lost house help, car got bumped, failed a test or application… Just right after you committed to serve Jesus but these are things God never promised to protect us from. Anyway, here is my story:
Everything was all packed… I’ve called the credit card company that I’ll be in Dubai for a couple of days and so they can expect some middle east transactions, I’ve weighted our luggage to make sure we don’t pay excess, the visa is carefully tucked in my traveler bag and everything has been printed out. Even our daily schedules and itinerary has been organized so that our stay is well maximized. We were scheduled to see people who we haven’t seen for years or maybe half a decade and not to mention for the very first time to see my sister (whom I’ve not seen the past 2 years) sing in church. Then the unexpected happens, I forget my printed boarding pass forcing me to go to the ticket counter. Fortunate though that there was hardly a line. Weird though that after I hand my passport to the girl in the ticket counter, There was an unusual delay. The lady disappears and after about 20 minutes comes back to say that “We found glue in your passport”. I said yes, the stitch binding of my passport was coming off so I had to put glue (not obvious) in it to stop it from continuing to run. She tells me she already talked to her higher up and their decision is not to let me board.
At that time, I was silently praying to the holy spirit to control my temper. The old me wanted to explode and make a scene because I find this as a big @)#(*@#$!!! I also wanted to punch the manager right smack in the face but the holy spirit whispered “The old has gone the new has come. It is your chance to be like Jesus.” I gently explained that I had already used my passport on several trips including Australia, United States, Europe and just last week, Thrice in Hong Kong and never had problems with immigration. After a short talk with the “manager”, hearing his explanation that “We are a budget airline and so the immigration is stricter with us than legacy airlines” (don’t know if that’s true but i didn’t want to waste any more of my time). When it looked like they were not gonna budge we left.
Yes I feel down and sad because I had planned for this. I also feel bad for my couple whose engagement (or prenup) I was supposed to shoot there because not only did they file for leave for this, they also paid for my Visa which they didn’t want me to pay back.
24 hours later, I am still in a state of shock thinking how can Cebu Pacific be so unreasonable and inconsiderate. Visa, Ticket and Hotel all of which are non refundable down the drain…
Actually, if God can read my blog I just want to say:
Lord I’m not mad or anything.
Who am I to question your will?
It’s normal to get disappointed and down.
After all, I am still but human.
But can I just ask why Lord? Just this time.
Cause I really can’t make sense of it.
but whether you answer me or not, I trust in you.
I submit myself once again. I uplift anything and everything I feel.
You know best.
As you have said in your word in Isaiah 55:8-9
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
I may have lost money but its not my money… It’s God’s money and there’s much more where it came from.
This was my reading today… When you’ve truly accepted Jesus in your heart and made him Lord of your life. Even the senseless will make sense.I
maybe it was an intervention… and that you and/or your loved ones are safer if you’re here
Possible yan. 🙂 We’ll never know. But thats where trust comes in. 🙂
“God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When you don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His heart”
Be excited for the unveiling of God’s purpose for intervening with your Dubai trip.. The best is yet to come!
We miss you Sir John! 🙂
i think you should file a complaint. This injustice will happen again, and this manager will continue to be irrational and inconsiderate. The manager’s excuse is lame. Not because they are a budget airline, their paasenger’s passbook needs to look perfect. These passbooks subject to wear and tear. And since you have used it many times before, they had less reason to believe it’s not legit.
Re: the wear & tear, Exactly my thoughts… also, someone told me that DFA is actually aware that there was a batch of passports that really had faulty binding. Thats why they were open to free replacement. but past is past… lets move on.
On filing a complaint, I’m so tempted…. but it would just derail me from what I really need to do.
What has faith got to do with all the gibberish I just read? From someone who has studied faith from different perspectives and has had four religions, I’d simply say you are just being ignorant.
Life is unfair. Learn to deal with it. Petty Gods have nothing to do with the issue you’re having. You miss your flight and you question God? Hypocrite. It would’ve been different if you actually saw children getting murdered in Syria and ask why THAT is happening. But, no… you are questioning your God for the wrong reason.
Kiko, God loves you. If you read the blog carefully you’ll see that I wasn’t questioning God as in complaining, I was actually trusting in Him and His ways. 🙂 Also, I didn’t miss my flight. They didn’t let me in.