big wind

Storms test the root systems of trees, the foundations of buildings, and the readiness of any living thing in its wake.

Do I have a plan of action.

Do I have an escape. 

A shelter.

Can I make it.

Can I withstand the storm.

For a tree:

Will my relationship with the ground and the trees and the buildings and the life around me survive?

Or will it be destroyed.

Similarly, storms and rocky times test the foundation of our friendships and relationships:

Can we handle it?

What are we built on?

Will the chaos around us destroy what holds us together? 

Will our relationships with the life around us survive or be destroyed?

The past two days at Berry College have been full of havoc. I'm sunburnt and also feel like I've spent no time in the sun at all. I've comforted. I've needed comforting. I've been so hot. I've been so cold. I've been emotionally and physically drained...and I went through the least of the storm - I lost nothing except parts of a pretty landscape. God is overly gracious to me. 

I compare friendships and storms in the usual way, but there's something that's gnawing at my brain and stomach. 

We're so often compared to trees, plants, animals, and so many other things "full of life" in scripture. I can't think of one time off the top of my head that we're compared to the storm, but goodness are we.

It's so natural to push and push and push a friendship - push in such a way that you test its limits - how close can we be? How far can I push you and still know that you'll be there? 

If I shove you while running far from you, will you still come and chase after me? 

What will it take to make you leave? Even though I'd prefer that you don't.

Like a tornado or hurricane, we wreak havoc on our friendships just to test their roots - to test their foundation.

I've found that it's easy to be shaken. It's easy to feel like you're about to fall...but only the rotten relationships fall. Only the ones not founded on the Truth - with Jesus Christ being the center of the joy and connection. Without that--without LIFE--a friendship, or any relationship for that matter-- WILL fall.

There is no exception.

I'm finding that some of my relationships need refocusing. They were once founded on Christ, but have strayed so far. It's not that we've turned from God or forgotten our love for Him, but in a sense we have, if only because we've become so distracted that we forget to love Him because our hearts and minds are so overtaken with other things.

I say I can't wait for summer for so many reasons - I can't wait to rest, but rest is at my fingertips. Rest is right here. Right now. Rest is in God. I don't need time or space to find rest. I don't need happy circumstances to have joy. That comes with the territory of full trust and hope in God, alone. 

Rest.

Trust.

God.