Like The Wind

When God speaks to my heart, I often need to write down my thoughts -- and this blog has become a good channel for me to do that.

The devotional today from Joni & Friends really gave me some food for thought on the theme of wind.

Wind is not one of my favourite weather features. When I'm outside in the wind, it often makes my face feel cold and it messes up my hair, and when it's blowing really strong the sound of howling wind often causes me to feel cold.

As I'm writing this, I am thinking about how often I display a negative attitude because I'm focused on the negative (or less-than-positive) aspects and this reminds me of a story I read in my childhood...

...about a little acorn sprout that wanted to grow into a big strong oak tree. But this little acorn sprout complained about and "hated" every trial that came its way -- the squirrel, the wind, the rain -- and every time, someone else came along and told him that God allowed the trial for a purpose and that he needed to be thankful for it. And one day, when he was a big strong oak tree, he realized this truth.

I usually try not to complain about weather, and instead to find something positive to comment on, but in reading this devotional today I realized that I rarely ever look for the positives of wind.

However, God's Word often compares wind to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives and looking at it from that perspective changes the focus.

I want to share just a brief excerpt with you:

Little wonder Jesus likened the wind to the Spirit. Wind moves. So does the Spirit. It - or I should say, He - never stays still. He is always moving and making His presence known. And if this Holy One lives at the center of our lives, we will see, feel, and at times, almost smell and hear the effects. The Spirit is constantly doing something in us. Just as we can see the effects of the wind in the trees (although we cannot see it), others will observe and appreciate the effects of the Spirit in our lives.

As I was meditating on this today, I thought about changes that come with wind - the transitions between fall and winter, winter and spring, and the havoc that is caused by a windstorm. There's something within me that doesn't always welcome change and challenge and difficulty, and I can become so focused on myself and what I think I need that I miss the blessings and the working of God in those changes.

It's good to live in the moment, but sometimes we need to be looking forward to what may not be visible to us right now -- because just like the wind, we can't always see what God is doing but knowing that His Spirit is working in us is always something to be thankful for, and there will be blessed evidences of His touch in our lives.

I want to share Joni's final thoughts in closing:

Step outside on a breezy March morning and notice that the wind marks its movement by what it touches. In its wake it leaves freshness and cleansing. As you allow the Spirit to touch your life, others will mark His presence and breathe deeply of His fragrance. They will give thanks to God... and thanks to you.

I sense your stirrings in my life, Lord. Move powerfully in me. Blow a fresh breeze through my soul and sweep away anything that displeases You. May I be different for it, and may others see and notice Your touch.

LIFE-LONG LEARNING

Life-long learning ... I thought of several phrases I could make with these words:
Learning about life is a long process. Life involves learning. A long life is full of learning.

I haven't blogged much lately -- mostly because February has been an uneventful month and I have been a little less enthusiastic about my studies. Could partly be because the spring semester seems longer, but I have also not been the most diligent with my time management.

However, a couple of recent experiences have caused me to look at my situation in a different light, and I want to share with you what I believe God has spoken to my heart.

I have not been diligent in setting aside time daily to just be in the presence of the Lord. My Bible reading and prayer time have been inconsistent. Since He is really my Lord, my life needs to display that, even in the areas known only to God and to me. If I am going to be really honest, this lack of devotional time and communion with God has affected my productivity and my attitude. But when I honestly confessed to Him that I had been allowing other things to take precedence over what I knew was most important, He began to work a change in me, and I noticed a marked improvement in my attitude the following day.

This is not the first time I have had to learn this lesson, and it certainly won't be the last, but each time it changes me a little more and my roots grow a little deeper.

Last Sunday was an exciting day. My landlady wasn't feeling well in the morning, so I thought she would stay home, but she was at church also. Later, at home, when I was waiting for my pizza in the oven to cook, she was sharing with me how the pastor's message had impacted her and it was a really special sharing time for both of us. I realized then that I need to take hold of these moments every time they come because you cannot always plan for them.

This week, I went swimming for the first time, and the following day I had a horribly runny nose. My teacher was adamant that it was because I went outside too quickly after the swimming and although she expressed it in a very kind way, I am not proud of my initial reaction. I didn't want to be told how to do something, and I struggled with it all day, but there was this thought in my mind that perhaps she was right. After talking to my mom, I realized that perhaps the issue was my unwillingness to set aside my own ideas and adjust to a different way of doing things, and not the advice that I was given.

I don't like being told how to do things, how to say things (this happens a lot in class) and although I know I should try and adapt to the culture here, there are still times when I want to do things my way. This is not only detrimental to the process of learning how to live in community and harmony in a different country and culture, but also in my Christian walk. The New Testament makes it very clear that we are no longer in charge of our own lives, but that we now belong to God and we must be willing to die - to lay down our wills, our desires, our pride and self-importance - and allow Him to direct us.

The process of language learning often doesn't go quite the way I want it to, but I have to remember that it is a process, and just like God is patient in the process of changing me to become more like Christ, I have to patiently trust Him to help me accomplish the goal.

Someone once said, "When you stop learning, you stop growing."
May I always remember that God has promised to complete the good work He started in me, and that all He asks of me is to press on every day in faithfulness and obedience to Him.

A TEACHABLE HEART

I was reading Proverbs 4 today for the second time and these are my meditations and the message I believe God wanted me to see:

It seems that the main theme is that godly wisdom will keep you from evil if you seek and embrace that wisdom. One important aspect of wisdom - as expressed in this passage - is a teachable spirit and a willingness to learn.

Verse 13 says: "Hold on to instruction...guard it well, for it is your life."
Verse 20 says: "...Pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words."

Many people today - especially youth - seem to think that they can get wise on their own, and they don't want to be taught or instructed by others. But the older I get, the more I realize that I continually need to have a teachable heart/spirit and be willing to learn, otherwise I will do what Proverbs 3:7 warns against -- become wise in my own eyes.

Learning to have a teachable heart is an important goal for all of us as believers, no matter how old we are, what stage we are at in our lives, or what circumstances are facing us...but for me, especially at this time, it is profound.

I will soon be entering a very different culture than my own, learning a new language and finding my place as part of an existing ministry team -- all these things require that I do not come with my own wisdom, but with an attitude of being willing to learn from others.

Lord, please help me to have a willing and teachable spirit and to accept advice and instruction from others, even when I would like to be able to feel confident in my own understanding. Lord Jesus, in my interactions and relationships with others may I reflect your submission to your Father. Amen.