There was a great experiment done in the early 1980s in the desert called the biodome. It was an exercise to create the perfect living environment for human beings, plant, and animal life. A huge glass dome was constructed and an artificial, controlled environment was created with purified air and water, filtered light, and so on, offering the perfect growing conditions for trees, fruits and vegetables… and humans. People lived in the biodome for many months at a time, and it was wonderful because everything seemed to do well, with one exception. When the trees that were planted grew to be a certain height, they would simply topple over. It baffled scientists for the longest time, until one day they realized the one natural element they forgot to recreate in the biodome: wind! Trees need wind to blow against them, which in turn causes their root systems to grow deeper into the soil, which in turn supports the tree as it grows taller.
“Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out.” —Mark 6: 45-49
What a day for Jesus’ followers. In the afternoon, one the greatest miracles took place when Jesus multiplied a boy’s lunch to feed 5,000+. Then Jesus sends them off in a boat without him later that evening. Although Jesus knew what weather they were about to encounter, He didn’t tell them to grab their umbrellas, to bring their ponchos, nor their life jackets. Hmmm… He just told them to go. And in the process of doing what they were told by Jesus, the disciples hit resistance.
I often think that by obeying Jesus life will go smoothly. I expect God to work with me because I’m doing what He asks of me;
- I expect Him to provide a spouse because I’m remaining pure;
- I expect Him to provide money because I am willing to go into ministry;
- I expect my kids to grow up knowing the Lord because I read devotionals to them at the dinner table;
- I expect Him to supply x because I am y. You fill in the blank of what you feel God owes you.
As I grow closer to Christ, I’m finding that I’m hitting more turbulence, and that may not be a bad thing. What I’m seeing is just because the wind is against me, it does not mean He is not for me. In a weird way, I’m convinced I’m doing his will when the wind is against me not behind me. The challenge for me is I’m tempted to give up too soon when I hit resistance and in the process not maximizing my kingdom impact.
How about you? Are you about to quit fighting through it? Or are you sailing along, on the lake of comfortable, with the wind to your back and right were Satan likes you?
Reflection |
Hang on through your wind storm– you will get to the other side.