Windy Days

"God’s grace is illustrated and magnified in the poverty and trials of believers." Spurgeon.

2 Cor. 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

While we were building our house- we started in the winter and finished the following Thanksgiving- there were times in the construction of the house that wind storms were kind of scary. While we were in the framing stage, and everything was not all tied together with plywood and the straps were not yet installed, it would have been easy for the structure to blow over in the wind. In fact, one night at about midnight the wind was blowing so hard that I go up and drove the 12 miles to the site just to make sure the house was still standing. I found out the next morning that our framer had done the same thing.

Today when the wind blows hard I am already confident in the structure of the house because it has been tested- the wind has blown hard against it and it is still standing.

Our walk of faith in God is like this. I think often we don't like to be in the middle of trials because it is uncomfortable. When the wind is blowing hard against your house it can be disconcerting, unless that same wind has blown there before and you can look back and remember the previous storm. When we look back at the previous trials that God has taken us through it builds our faith in Him. It doesn't build our faith in what we can do any more than than the house that is standing makes me feel confident in my ability to stand out in the wind and take the storm.

The storms in our life magnify how powerful God is to carry us through. We must trust that He is able to carry us through the fieriest storm or that He is able to calm the storm- whichever He knows is best for us. Neither of these depend on us except to trust Him. When the wind blows on the house I still may wake up and look outside but I am not worried about it falling over because it's strength has been tested and proven. If the wind had never blown how would I know it's strength?

It's the "storm chasers" who are right in the middle of the wildest storms that get the most amazing pictures. Job had an idea of what it took to endure hardships, Abraham could tell you about a storm, Moses had a tale to tell, OT Joseph knew a thing or two about ups and downs, Peter understood his weakness and the power of Christ's hand in the storm and they all could look back to see God's provision in each one of those circumstances in their lives and I can't believe they would want to undo any of those days- even though while they were there it was difficult.

Let us not try to get out of our trials. Let us rest- as difficult as it may be- in knowing that He doesn't leave or forsake us. May God give us grace that we might be able to enjoy the storms of life, with all their force, knowing that He is able to save us to the uttermost and in that understanding let us enjoy the process of seeing His deliverance come in the most unexpected and unexplained ways.