When you become the person on the other side of pain, discomfort, or stress, everything will change for you. Many of you may remember the news story of an airplane scheduled to fly from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte, NC, but it struck a flock of birds shortly after take-off and lost all engine power. Captain Sully heroically saved everyone on board by landing the plane in the Hudson River. All 155 people survived and were rescued by nearby boats, with only a few serious injuries.  

A little-known hero in that story was Dave Sanderson, a committed Christian whose seat was by the exit door. He could have easily been the first person out of the plane. Despite this, he heard the words of his mother: If you do the right thing, God will take care of you. He decided not to get off the plane until he helped every passenger, young and old. He was one of the last passengers to leave the plane, and who knows if everyone would have made it out if he hadn’t done that.  

Friend, one of my favorite things about this story is when Dave said everything in his life got better after going through this horrible, scary, and traumatic event. He also said that by the time you’re 40, almost everyone will experience a “personal plane crash.” It can’t be predicted, and you don’t expect it to happen. Yet very often, when people go through trauma, they actually grow from the experience. With the help of the Holy Spirit, you can change and become everything that lies on the other side of your pain. As you press into your victory and do the right thing, God will take care of you!