The Instrument Panel

Have you ever sat in a parked car and suddenly felt like you were moving—just because the car next to you started to roll? For a split second, your senses scream, “We’re moving!” even though you know you’re not. That moment of panic is jarring. I’ve felt it many times.

Pilots know this sensation well. In flight, trusting your senses over your instruments can be fatal. The body may say one thing, but the instruments tell the truth. Ignore them, and the consequences can be deadly.

The same is true in our spiritual lives. Our spiritual senses—our connection to God, our discernment through the Holy Spirit—are the instruments we must trust. My flesh constantly sends false signals: fear, temptation, pride, despair. These signals wreak havoc until I remember—they’re lies. They feel real, but they’re not true.

Until I surrender my physical senses to God, I’m tossed around by emotional turbulence that threatens to destroy me. The panic, the confusion, the false alarms—they all want my attention. They whisper lies that feel like truth. They tell me I’m dying, when in fact, I’m being deceived.

When will I learn? Maybe never. These false sensations may always be part of my journey, always trying to hijack my peace. But my spirit, anchored in Christ, speaks calm to my chaos. It reminds me: “This is not real. Look to Me. Trust Me.”

And in that moment, the panic fades. The truth prevails. And I remember who’s really in control.



Blessings