Who is Your Pilot?

By Audrina Jones Bunton

It was a mild summer day in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina when I boarded United Airline flight 7318 to Washington, DC. As usual, I promptly located my window seat, with no doubts that the pilots would take me safely to my destination.

Suddenly, as I sat gazing out of the window waiting for take-off, questions filled my mind. I wondered, "Who are these pilots that I wholeheartedly entrust with my life?" I wondered why I felt so certain that they could and would take me to my destination. I also pondered, "Why it is that I - or we as individuals, trustingly allow others to pilot our lives without questions or reservations?"

Many of us permit other people to pilot our lives while we take our seat near the window and passively watch our lives pass by. We lack faith in ourselves, because too often, we have allowed other people such as bosses, friends, family, and even enemies, to navigate our lives. They claim to know what is best for us, and we accept that. They also pilot our lives through their negative words and attitudes.

Many people live on autopilot without a clue as to where they are headed, or how they will get there.

If you want a more productive and fulfilling life, you must decide that you will no longer allow others to control your life or your future. Forget about the past. No matter how cloudy things look right now, trust in God's faithfulness and His desire to teach you how to be more effective and fruitful. Allow God to be your pilot, as you co-pilot with Him in moving your life into a prosperous and promising future.

Copyright © 2003 by Audrina Jones Bunton. Audrey is a motivational speaker, writer, and social research assistant at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Visit her website at: www.purposefully-living.com