In the past 6 months or so, I have been finding my schedule filled with many unexpected work related things. I’m not complaining, I’m just saying that unexpected things come along. We pray for God’s guidance and wisdom to make the best use of our time, we pray for him to provide, and we never know where God will lead.
Today I was pondering these unexpected things and I was reminded of two passages of scripture.
The first passage is John 3:5-8ESV: Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
The second is James 1:5-8ESV: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
In context, it seems to me like the John passage is talking about God’s work of salvation in a person’s life. In terms of being born again, we don’t know whose heart the Spirit of God will be working in next.
As a matter of principle, I have always considered the John passage to also mean that when a person’s life is surrendered to God, that person will be motivated and driven by the Spirit of God. Their life might take some unexpected turns, but always under control by the unseen guidance of God’s Spirit.
What connected the two passages for me, was the reference to wind and how the effects of wind are used to describe things in our lives.
Faith & Trust vs Fear & Doubt
Wind can be calm, gentle, and refreshing. We know how a gentle wind feels on a hot day and how refreshing it is. Or how calming it is to sit by a lake watching the beauty of a calm wind cause ripples as it blows across the water. We also know how forceful a strong wind can be.
No matter the kind of wind, we are not in control of it (unless of course, we are using a fan). It’s the same when we are committed to walking with God. Are we in control of our lives? Do we make choices and set a direction for ourselves? I think most of the time we do try to make plans and set a course of action. But what about when the unexpected happens, those things that are out of our control? When life seems uncertain and there seems to be no wisdom for decisions of the moment, what do we do?
The person who clings in faith & trust to the God who controlled the past, is still in control in the present, and knows the future, will ultimately know the guiding and direction of the Spirit. It doesn’t matter how forceful the wind, there is a reassurance that God has a purpose and a plan. We may not always know where we are headed, but we can praise the One who does know.
The person who clings to things with fear and doubt, somehow doesn’t go anywhere. Life seems to beat them up and they have nothing to praise about.
Well, that seems to be the end of the thought for now. Hopefully this encourages someone on your journey. May we live lives that are characterized by Faith & Trust in the God who loves us, and may his praise be always on our lips.