Good morning…
I listened and learned from my friend as we talked by phone on her way to work, my friend who has no umbrella in this hurricane season of her life. Then I drove twelve minutes downtown to PAWkids, a non-profit agency supporting kids and their families in the most poverty-stricken portion of our city. After our weekly time of therapeutic training, I stayed after to pray in the space set aside for me in the attic. Later, coming downstairs, I happened upon a life-giving conversation with one of my black-skinned new friends.
“Every day I wake up and step out into the storm,” he said. “Drugs. Hunger. Violence. Unemployment. Homelessness. Hopelessness. Sexuality issues. Suicidal thoughts. There is a fierce storm raging on these streets every single day.”
“What allows you to step through this crazy storm each day?” I asked the tattooed young man with intensely loving eyes. (Remember? Two hours earlier I had just asked my white, middle-aged, professional friend the exact same question.)
“I go out into the storm and stand my ground with God,” he said. “The winds and the rains can feel overwhelming, but I stand firm with God. From a place of strength, I let God use me in whatever way he chooses. Like, if I have $5.00,” he explained, “I see who might need $2.50. I don’t need the whole $5.00. I give things away. A smile. My time. Some food. A helping hand. Every day I have all I need with more to spare and to share.”
By noon on a drizzly day, I had gleaned some great wisdom from two unexpected talks.
Now, what is God teaching us about restorative resiliency during hurricane seasons in our lives?
- Welcome the privilege of seeing yourself mature with God, developing endurance and excitement about how your life is being reworked.
- Heighten your attentiveness to the little gifts, the tiny drops of fuel which get you through the day. Listen for God’s soft whispers, “You are doing the right thing.”
- In wildly stormy seasons, something is happening beyond what your heart and your mind can comprehend. You don’t need to know what God is doing, you just need to trust that the blessings coming out of this time are immeasurable.
- As you stand firm in the raging storm with God, from a place of strength you will have all you need each day, with more to spare and to share with those in need.
“Listen! You will hear a thunderous voice in the lonely wilderness telling you to wake up and get your heart ready for the coming of the Lord Yahweh. Make straight every twisted thing in your lives. Bring into the light every dark way. Make right every wrong. Remove injustice. Every heart of pride will humbly bow before him. Every deception will be exposed and replaced by the truth to prepare everyone everywhere to see the Life of God!” (Luke 3:4-6, TPT).
The footnote to these verses reads:
“The Greek text, quoting from Isa. 40:3–5, is literally translated ‘Wake up and make lines for the Lord, make his side alleys straight. Every ravine will be filled, every mountain and hill shall be leveled, the crooked straightened, rough ways smoothed, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ Every honest scholar recognizes this as more than a road construction project, implying a spiritual renewal in hearts.”
Regardless of our skin color or our to do list for each day, when we step out into life’s raging rains empowered by the Spirit of our living Lord, we experience a spiritual renewal in our humble hearts. Deception is replaced by enduring truth, and we prepare everyone everywhere to see the Life of God!
…Sue…
P.S. If you live in the Atlanta area and would like to volunteer at PAWkids, we need volunteers to help the kids to develop their reading skills. If you are free on Mondays from 4:00 to 6:00 pm and feel God nudging you to share two hours of your time, please reach out to me and we will get you connected.
