Presence Over Performance

When Plans Fall Apart

When I say “cancelled flight,” what comes to mind—stress, frustration, disappointment?

A few years ago, I experienced the Southwest Airlines Christmas meltdown firsthand. During one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, the software that ran nearly everything crashed. Employees didn’t know when to show up, flight schedules disappeared, luggage systems failed—total chaos. The solution? Cancel all flights… for days.

My flight to Texas was canceled the night before I was set to leave. My brother quickly booked me a last-minute flight with another airline the next morning. I arrived at the airport early, hopeful—only to learn that flight was also canceled due to weather. The earliest they could get me to Texas was two days later.

So I had a decision to make: go home and wait, or drive.

Because rental cars were disappearing fast, I had only minutes to decide. I didn’t want to take my own car—if I drove it there, I’d be stuck driving it back. Renting felt like the better option. I reserved a car online and stood in line praying they wouldn’t run out before it was my turn. By God’s grace, they didn’t.

When Productivity Is Taken Away

I pulled out of the lot headed toward Austin—seventeen hours on a good day. Before I even made it out of Orlando, I hit two traffic jams. I didn’t leave Central Florida until after lunch. My frustration was at an all-time high.

For context, I’m an Enneagram 3. I value efficiency. Driving to Texas is not efficient. Add delays and obstacles, and it felt like a recipe for internal meltdown. I was also frustrated because planes are where I do some of my best work. I write well in that setting—no distractions, just focus. I had projects I planned to work on, but suddenly I was facing two days behind the wheel. Productivity was out the window.

As traffic eased and the miles passed, my nerves slowly settled. I listened to Christian podcasts, and the Lord began to gently shift my heart. That night, sitting alone in a hotel room after a long day of driving, I sensed Him say,
“You were ready to produce, but I wanted to produce something in you.”

It stopped me in my tracks.

Considering Our Ways

I had been so focused on what I wanted to build for God that I missed what He wanted to build in me. He reminded me that He sustains me—and everything I do—and that my relationship with Him matters more than anything I create for Him.

When I think about the book of Haggai and God’s repeated call to “consider your ways,” this drive comes to mind. God used those two days to reorient my priorities. He reminded me that presence with Him is more important than performance for Him. And if I’m honest, at times my striving was less about His glory and more about how it made me feel.

The tiny book of Haggai gives us a glimpse into the Israelites’ lives after a remnant returned from exile. They began rebuilding the temple to restore God’s place as the center of their community. But when opposition came and it stopped feeling good, they abandoned the work and focused on building their own homes instead. It was easier. More comfortable.

And it’s here—right in that tension between calling and comfort—that God speaks sharply in Haggai 1:3-5: 

Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.

That drive to Texas was hard and frustrating, but it became the means God used to show me I had been busy building my own house instead of investing in my relationship with Him.

So as we step into this new year, let me ask you:
Where might God be inviting you to return, rearrange your priorities, and choose presence with Him over building your own house?

*This article was also featured on the Church of The Commons Instagram account (@cothecommons).