3 Spiritual Truths To Tame Travel Fears
Photo by Gian Cescon on Unsplash
“Do you know,” said Anne confidentially, “I’ve made up my mind to enjoy this drive. It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. Of course, you must make it up firmly.” -Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
I have a confession to make — I love road trips, and I’m terrified of road trips. How can these two things live inside me simultaneously? I think it points to the now and not yet of the kingdom of heaven.
If road trips involved Matthew Cuthbert, a horse, and the White Way of Delight, I don’t think I would be terrified. There is something calm and peaceful, maybe even heavenly, about the drive Matthew and Anne take from Bright River to Green Gables.
Fast forward to 2022, and road trips are usually not the White Way of Delight. Even so, my husband and I choose to drive a truck with a travel trailer towing behind us when we want to explore. That’s the way he remembers vacationing as a child, and he wants to continue the tradition with our daughters.
The open road, the beautiful sights out the window, the thought of arriving at our destination… all of these can bring a sense of anticipation and excitement as we enjoy the creation God has given us.
But if your mind is anything like mine, it also brings images of danger, accidents, running out of gas in the middle of nowhere, the truck breaking down, someone getting sick — you get the picture. These things aren’t so heavenly.
Maybe you don’t struggle with a fear of road trips the way I do, but maybe flying terrifies you. Or maybe taking the train sends you into cold sweats. If you struggle with any sort of travel fears, I offer three spiritual truths that I hope will help you on your journey, no matter how you decide to travel.
01 | Turn triggers into trust.
As soon as my mind is triggered by a worry, such as seeing an ambulance speeding down the road, I immediately acknowledge it was a trigger and replace it with the word trust. I will literally say to myself, “Turn this trigger into an opportunity to trust the Lord who loves you.”
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” If God cares for me, I can trust him in every travel situation. With God’s help, I can rewire my brain and teach it to turn triggers into trust.
02 | God is with me wherever I go.
Whether I’m in a car, plane, boat, or train, God is with me. Joshua 1:9 spells it out: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Do I really believe this? If I do, it means God is traveling with me, and the command is clear: do not tremble. I can tell my body to relax because God is with me.
03 | Whatever I’m worried might happen in the future, God is already there.
In Deuteronomy 31:8 we read, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” As I mentioned, my mind can imagine the worst and conjure up images about the future that I’d rather not be thinking about.
But even if something does happen, I am not left alone. God is already there, commanding his angels concerning me and sending the Holy Spirit as my helper. This brings me great comfort.
In short…
So the next time I climb into the passenger seat of our truck for a drive across the country, I’ll remind myself of these truths, and like Anne, make up my mind firmly to enjoy the ride, believing in God’s promises. I hope you can do the same.
