Gather The Wind

“But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 NASB

“Are they as straw before the wind, and like chaff which the storm carries away?”
Job 21:18 NASB


My son left an unusual post on his My Space page some time ago. It was unusual because it was a thoughtful, well written story. Unusual because my son never writes, and doesn’t always articulate with clarity. The story was about a piece of newsprint he saw out his window. As he watched it blowing in the wind, he meditated on how he would like God to be the wind that directs his path.

I thought about this for several days after reading it. It was a great analogy and one that would speak to me in the days to come. It is amazing to me that God will use the simple observations in life to plant seeds of faith into our hearts. A piece of paper blowing in the wind reminded my son of God’s direction in our lives and I was fascinated at comparing the ways we let the wind guide us.

I personally would not want to be blown about, feeling myself pushed up and down, over and back. There seems to be no purpose to that kind of direction. The wind of our own choices, our worldly connections, and casual attitudes can blow us without plan or wisdom. We are propelled by a force that could either carry us a long way off track, or straight into the arms of God. It is a matter of being stronger than a thin piece of paper that is torn and tattered by life. When we are weakened by trials and misfortunes we are easily tossed to and fro by whatever wind would come along.

There is another kind of wind that directs. The wind of the spirit blows us toward the One who created it. If we have kept our hearts strong, we can be a sail that will catch the wind and capture the mighty power it brings. If we have taken great care in our responsibility for the plan, if we will stand tall in adversity, we will only be driven in the direction God would have us go. It takes courage and determination to be the sail and not the newsprint. The desire to be in the center of His will comes from a relationship with Him. He will fashion us into the sail we were meant to be. Then He sends the wind that we desperately need.

It takes faith to believe in things we cannot see, like the wind. But we will be pushed by it whether we see it or not. We can be tossed without purpose or driven in our Creator's plan. Our minds tend to waver, and our moods go up and down, but the stability God brings to us will make us sail worthy.