A Prayer for Safe Travels
By Heidi Vegh
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” - Phil 4:6-7
God gave us a beautiful world full of stunning adventure. Whether we venture far from home or drive to the next town, something is always awaiting us. We travel for all sorts of reasons. To visit family, work, seek adventure, weddings, funerals, or to simply satisfy our curiosity. My family loves to fly, but squishing in the car for a long road trip brings a different type of joy and adventure, creating fun, silly memories. We live in Seattle, but most of our family is in Salt Lake City. When we can afford it, we hop on a flight; however, with six of us, we tend to make the 13-hour drive, towing along our pup.
No matter how you are traveling, it can be anxiety-inducing. Leaving the comforts of home is exciting, but I tend to worry while I am away. Is our home ok? Is there a random leak? Did someone break in, and we forgot to set the alarm? Then, the nightmare images tend to creep in, involving car accidents or something tragic happening to us while we are away. We have all heard the nightmare stories, so I know I am not the only one caught up in the worst-case scenario mindset.
In this day and age, travel has not been more accessible; however, recent events and the fact that terrorists have become a part of our lives tend to bring on anxiety, especially plane travel. Leaving on a plane has a whole other set of fears that like to creep into my brain. I won't go into them as I know most of us have the same thoughts. But for some reason…we continue to travel. Why? Because we don't want fear to get the best of us and prevent us from experiencing life. We know the statistics are in our favor, so we boldly trust unknown pilots and mechanics to bring us safely to our destination.
So what happens when fear does get the best of us and the anxiety and fear are so bad that we wonder if all the fuss of travel is even worth it? It may sound good to always and forever keep our feet on solid ground in the comfort of our home where no travel mishap can befall us. But is this living our best life for God? Is this where He wants us to sit when He has given us a million and one reason to seek adventure and get out of our comfort zones?
God knows all things. He knows our fears. He knows our doubts and the mind-numbing reel of thoughts that continue on a loop as we stand in line at security. The Bible promises that with Jesus, we can fight against fear and put our trust in Him.
Psalm 25:1-2 says, "In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me" (NIV).
When we live a life for Jesus and saturate our minds with His promises and truths, we can win the battle over fear. It might be a constant fight, and our anxiety might fight hard to engage us, but we have the best weapon of all, the name of Jesus. When I get nervous on a flight, I repeat this verse:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." - Phil 4:6-7
Let's pray:
Lord, you know when I sit and when I arise. (Psalm 139:1) You know every hair on my head (Matthew 10:26) and all my anxious thoughts. (Psalm 139:23). You care about my whereabouts and where I desire to go. You want me to live an abundant life, taking hold of opportunities to see the people I love and explore the beauty of your world. However, leaving home makes me anxious. I fear the worst for my house or family traveling with me. When I leave my family behind alone, I fear something may happen, and I won't be close. I fear the tight spaces of the plane and often allow my mind to be filled with worst-case scenarios.
I rebuke this fear today, Lord. I refuse to let it get a hold of me and steal my joy. I long to enjoy travel, the airport's busyness, the takeoff, and landing because I know what awaits me at my destination. Whether it is work or pleasure, I know that with you, you will bring good things to me. Stories, experiences, and sights that prove your beauty and give me reason to praise you. Help me relax during my travels; help me fill my heart with truths from your Word that can calm my fearful soul. Please give me a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) and help me to rest in you. (Matthew 11:28). Thank you for the opportunity to travel.
In your precious name, I pray amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/freemixer
Heidi Vegh is a writer, speaker, and ministry leader living in Western Washington. She is a remarried mother of four, navigating the blended family life after the loss of her first husband to cancer in 2013. She longs to use her writing as a way to encourage others who have experienced loss and guide them on the road to healing. She contributes to her blog found at www.mrsheidivegh.com , sharing stories and devotionals of faith stemming from her loss and healing, mothering, and her blended and complex family. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in Creative Writing and English and is working on her first book. Heidi is the Women’s Ministry Director at her local church and has a deep heart for sharing Jesus with women and encouraging them in their faith walk. When she is not writing, she loves to travel, read, craft, and experiment in the kitchen. Visit her Facebook and Instagram (@mrsheidivegh) to learn more.
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