Lost Luggage, Found Grace

I watched the luggage carousel spin like a prayer wheel—and my name never came up.

Everyone else was collecting their suitcases like it was the most natural thing in the world. Reunion. Relief. Rolling bags and onward journeys. But mine? Nowhere. I paced. I double-checked the flight number. I circled the belt again. Still nothing.

What should’ve been a minor travel hiccup turned into a full-on spiral. I was in New Zealand, jetlagged, sleep-deprived, and standing in a sterile airport with nothing but my carry-on and an increasing sense of panic. I hadn’t slept. I couldn’t think clearly. I was hungry, disoriented, and unsure what to do next.

It wasn’t just a bag that was missing. It was my sense of stability, security, and being okay.

A local staff member tried to help. We fumbled through broken English and gestures, both of us trying, neither of us connecting. I could tell they were trying not to get frustrated. I could also tell I was losing my patience too.

The airport smelled faintly of coffee and disinfectant. A little girl was crying near the customs gate. I felt like joining her.

So I did the only thing I could:

I paused.

I prayed a breath-sized prayer:

“God, please. Help me find what I’ve lost.”

✨ The Shift

It wasn’t a miracle in the flashy, movie-soundtrack kind of way.

It was quieter than that.

A moment of clarity slipped in: Try a different terminal.

I followed the nudge—more instinct than logic—and sure enough, there it was. My suitcase. Sitting calmly on a different carousel, completely unaware of the chaos it had caused in my heart.

I laughed out loud, part relief, part disbelief. Then I remembered something Lisa Bevere once wrote:

“We often miss God’s provision because it doesn’t show up where we expected it.”

That bag held my clothes. My chargers. My sense of preparedness. But the deeper provision was this: God had been with me the whole time. Even in my confusion. Even in my exhaustion. Even in the moments I forgot to trust.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” —Jeremiah 29:13

I hadn’t just been searching for luggage—I’d been reaching for peace. And grace met me one carousel over.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” —Proverbs 3:5

My understanding told me to panic. My faith reminded me to pause.

And that pause? It changed everything.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28

That’s what I needed most. Not the bag. Not the plan. Just the rest that comes from knowing Someone still holds the map when I don’t.

🌿 Soul Insights

What the Luggage Taught Me

1. Not everything lost is gone.

Whether it’s peace, time, direction, or a suitcase—some things are just waiting in a place you haven’t looked yet.

2. Exhaustion will lie to you.

Tired minds turn small problems into existential crises. Rest is holy. So is hydration.

3. Grace often looks like a delayed answer.

We want instant fixes. But God often waits until we’re still enough to notice the better door He’s opening.

4. People are doing their best—even when they miss the mark.

That airport staff member was just as flustered as I was. It wasn’t personal. It was human. Empathy matters more than speed.

5. You are more than what you carry.

My bag didn’t define my trip. And it definitely didn’t define me. What matters most isn’t packed—it’s planted in the soul.

“Grace will take you places hustling can’t.” —Brianna Wiest

💬 Final Thoughts: God Is in Baggage Claim, Too

That moment in New Zealand taught me something I keep relearning:

Grace does not operate on our panic clock.

It moves slower. Quieter. Kinder.

It doesn’t always show up in the form we’re expecting.

But when it does—it restores more than what we thought we lost.

“God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” —John Piper

So if you’re in a season where nothing seems to be arriving on time—where your answers feel lost or misrouted—keep looking.

Keep breathing.

Keep praying.

Grace might be waiting…

One terminal over.

Your Turn

Have you ever had a moment where something felt lost—but grace found you anyway?

I’d love to hear your story. Share in the comments or send me a message. Sometimes our most ordinary missteps become the doorway to something divine. Let’s reflect together.

Soul Path Insights