The Wind

Here in the Peace Country we have had a lot of wind this year. I am not talking about the light breezes that grace our land, no I am talking about the hair blowing back, grab the car door,

wind that everyone runs inside from.

I can literally watch the trees in front of my house sway or bend right over threatening to snap!

Driving into Gr. Prairie is quite a sight when these winds are blowing, as the whole city is covered with what looks to be a sand storm. When my car and I peak the top of Richmond Hill and all of Gr. Prairie comes into view. The entire city is enveloped by a dust cloud. The air is dark and dirty looking filled with dirt and dust. I imagine it is a much smaller scale image of what a middle eastern sand storm could look like. It’s fairly impressive.

The drive in can be a fight between man and nature in these cases as you fight to hold your car steady as the wind slams against it. It is the reason I will not drive a smaller car. I have been blown across the road in a smaller car on ice before, it is a real thing. With my car now it would have to be a freak wind that pushes my Explorer anywhere because it has some weight to it.

Add to the drive the times you drive through one of these dust clouds picked up from farmers fields and hear the dirt particles bounce and ping off of your car.

I read a lesson in my Book of Mysteries by Jonathan Cahn called The Ruach (page 4).

The lesson being taught is the teacher asks the student to walk against the wind.

We can all remember the times we have fought against the wind. Head down to not get face pelted, holding our jacket closed because we did not zip it up, pushing our bodies against this force of nature, it is hard walking.

The student in the lesson is told to now turn around and walk with the wind. How did that feel? It was so much easier.

Gods’ Spirit, the Holy Spirit is described as a wind. The word Ruach, means wind. It is also the Hebrew word for the Holy Spirit, wind.

“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.” John 3:8

The Holy Spirit blows where it wishes… it pokes and prods us all the time if we are open to His leading. At times it is tough slugging as we seem to be pushing against a wind. Could those times be when we are pushing against the Holy Spirit, walking in opposition to where He would like us to go?

The Holy Spirit can only flow in a Holy or Godly direction. Perhaps when it seems we are getting “push back” it may be the time to take time out and check in with God that we are actually going in the right direction. It may not be Gods best plan for you to head in that direction.

I know for me I step out and plan and expect God will Bless “my” plan. Instead of me checking in with Him first to see if He had a different plan or a different way. I forget I am not really in charge, and then I actually argue with God over His verse “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

If I am walking against the wind- it’s going to be hard! My energy will get zapped 10 times faster, the fight will be real! But if I simply turn around and walk with the wind, walk with God, not against Him, the journey instantly changes.

Face it, sometimes we do things we are not humanly capable of. Sometimes we do things because we decide we want them, deserve them. Sometimes we are so human we launch into the wind, defying it from preventing us from getting to our destination and we push and push to reach our goal.

By the time we reach our destination we are filthy from the dirty air that pelted us, from the exertion it took to fight to get there, and there we lay on the ground, panting and gasping for air, but inside we think “I made it!”. But at what cost?

There are many trees around the Peace Country that bear the mark of fighting the wind for long periods of time. They are permanently bent, and can no longer stand up straight. We would be wise to remember the force of fighting a wind long term.

Right now in my limited energy state I identify with this more than you will know! I absolutely hate feeling useless, hate feeling limited, hate feeling like a burden. But God in His infinite wisdom has given me a “STOP “, if I over do it, I will start throwing up. It is a very effective stop tool. But it has me thinking of ALL those times when I did not listen when I fought my way in the wind to my own self appointed finish line and looking back with 20/20 vision, I can only ask “why did I do that to myself?” I would never expect anyone else to do that to themselves, why was it okay for me?

Are you walking with the wind or pushing against it, a great question to ask yourself. If you are not sure, picture yourself at the finish line- what do you look like? Bedraggled and messy from the wind fight or walking across smiling and peaceful like it was easy.