The Long Road Home

The last few days, I’ve been in Rome attending a world summit that was full of purpose, and hope.

The journey home, however, was quite a different story!

An early morning email from British Airways, warned me of possible flight delays in both Italy and the UK.

It was to prove all true for me.

Delays in Rome, resulted in a missed connection and an unexpected overnight stay in London.

It was a very late night, followed by a really early start again, only to be met by further delays at Heathrow.

To top it off, a hefty bill for 10 extra hours in the long-stay car park, was my welcome home present, which proved to be more expensive than the original 3-day booking. Ouch…

I’ll be reclaiming that and a few other things too in the days ahead.

And then came the realisation… I’m not 30 anymore!

Eventually, I arrived home.

And the moment I stepped through the door, weary and worn, there was some peace and a short period of respite, before attending to another matter at hand.

I couldn’t help but think how often life is like that.

There are moments of real warmth, purpose and beauty, just like Rome.

Then periods of hassle and hardship can follow.

I pressed on through the delays, detours, and discouragement.

And at times, patience was key as it felt like I’d never quite get there, but eventually, I did.

The gospel teaches us that this mortal life is a journey too, often filled with trials that test our faith and patience.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17

There is no shortcut to eternal life.

No express flight to peace and joy.

But there is purpose in the enduring.

And ultimately, arriving is really worth it.

Are you stuck in your own “layover” season right now – discouraged, delayed, or just plain tired.

If so, take heart. Keep going. The journey may be long, but the destination is glorious.

What helps you keep going when your journey is filled with delays?