I recently watched a video on Time.com about a Canadian pilot, Raphael Langumier, who took his four-year-old daughter on her first aerobatic plane ride and filmed her reaction.
As the plane looped and rolled, little Léa burst into laughter—pure delight written across her face. When the ride ended, she eagerly told her father to do it again. And again.
That kind of fearless joy reminded me of a story I heard several years ago—one where trust was not expressed in laughter, but in calm confidence.
It involved a little girl who was flying unaccompanied on a cross-country flight. After a short time in the air, the pilot’s voice came over the intercom and calmly announced, “We shall not be serving beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened.”
Before long, the turbulence increased. Lightning flashed. Thunder cracked. The plane began to shake. Many passengers were visibly concerned. The man who later recounted the incident—a veteran of many flights—admitted that even he was feeling uneasy.
Then he noticed the little girl sitting across the aisle. She had tucked her feet beneath her and was quietly reading a book, seemingly oblivious to the storm raging outside.
When the turbulence finally passed and the ride smoothed out, the man leaned over and said, “You sure are brave. That rough ride didn’t seem to bother you.”
The child looked up, smiled, and replied, “Oh, I wasn’t afraid. My Daddy is the pilot. He’s taking me home.”
Our word of the week is confidence.
A quick online search reveals millions of results on the subject—books, articles, and talks promising to build confidence: Six Actions You Can Take Every Day to Build Confidence. Eight Guaranteed Ways to Boost Your Confidence. Confidence, we are told, is essential for success in business, sports, relationships, and life in general.
While there is value in proper self-confidence, Scripture points us to a confidence far greater. It is not confidence in ourselves, but confidence in the Lord.
The wise man wrote, “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge” (Proverbs 14:26).
The psalmist reminds us, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8).
John assures believers, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).
And the writer of Hebrews exhorts us, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:35–36).
Confidence in Christ allows us to remain calm when unexpected turbulence disrupts our lives—family struggles, financial setbacks, strained relationships, declining health, physical suffering, and even the shadow of death. These experiences are unsettling, unnerving, and often discouraging.
Yet our confidence in Christ produces “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). It enables us to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). And it fixes our focus not on what is seen and temporary, but on what is unseen, spiritual, and eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).
Today, this week, or this month, you may encounter unexpected turbulence in your life. When that happens, hold fast to your confidence in Christ and quietly repeat these words:
“I’m not afraid. My Father is the Pilot. He’s taking me home.”
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
(Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared in January 2016 and is being re-shared this week while I focus on sermon preparation. Though written 10 years ago, its message remains timeless. BTW, these original posts have been edited by Grammarly and ChatGPT. #2016)
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