Dive Deeper

     Think back to a time when you found yourself in a terrible storm.  Maybe there was lightning and thunder, large hail, heavy rains, or even high winds.  With weather like this, our senses are stimulated in almost every way.  We hear the cracks of thunder, see the lightning bolts light up the sky, and feel the wind push on our backs.

     It’s easier to feel the wind during a ferocious storm than on a calm day.  Storms can be dangerous, but no one doubts the presence of high winds during these times.  

     The same can be said about the “storms” we face in our lives.  Sometimes, storms look like a lost job, a season of transition, a troubling diagnosis, or the death of a loved one.  Just as it’s easier to feel the breeze during a storm, it is often easier to sense God’s presence during hardships in life.  Trials in life can come in all shapes and sizes, but often these hard times cause people to feel the presence of God more than times of peace and tranquility.  Hardships help us to sense the presence of God because people are forced to trust in God due to their lack of options..  And when we trust in our Almighty Father, His presence is made known.

John 3:8

The wind blows wherever it pleases.  You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.  So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

     Just like the wind guides a sailboat as it passes through the water, the Holy Spirit guides us as we navigate through life.

     I’m sure people who go sailing wish they could control the wind and tide while they are out on the water.  However, when you are at the mercy of the breeze, it can be more challenging to know how the wind will blow.  Similarly, Christians often wish they could control how the Spirit chooses to move.  We often wish we were in control, or that God would move in the way we want Him to.  But, if we were truly in full-control, I imagine most of us would fall overboard or be washed ashore in time.

     Though it is challenging to trust God when we don’t know where our boat is heading, we can have confidence knowing that the Spirit will lead us and be our guide.  We don’t always get to know what path our life will take, so we must trust God out of faith alone.
 

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we live by faith, not by sight

      We must have faith that God is with us in all circumstances.  He is there when we feel His presence all around us.  He is there when we think His voice is silent and when we feel alone.  He is there, always, holding us in His hands and guiding us across life’s sea.

      Even when the sky darkens and the rain falls, the wind pushes us onward.  Even when the heartaches of life hit us in the face and when no hope can be seen, God is holding us and guiding us closer to Him.  We may not always see the LORD or hear His life-giving voice, but if we pay attention, we can always feel Him there with us.  

Your Spirit flows like the breeze and the air,  though not always seen, I feel You there.

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Questions for Reflection

1. What kind of “storms” do you find yourself sailing through right now in life?

2. Think back to the times in your life when you felt God’s presence.  What do these situations have in common?  

   1. If you don’t think you’ve ever felt God’s presence, try asking God to reveal Himself to you.

3. What are some ways that you can continue to trust God when you don’t see or hear Him?