When the Winds Blow

I remember running track in high school. My event was the half mile run, which is two laps around the track. I enjoyed running and competing against the other runners. That is except on windy days. Every time the wind was blowing strong during a meet, half of the run would be great, while the other half was like running through a huge marshmallow. Everything was going great while the wind was at my back, pushing me along, but it was like I suddenly hit a strong opposing force when I rounded that second turn. All I could do was grit my teeth, lean into it, dig down deep and keep running my hardest.

Life is very much like running around the track on a windy day. We have times when everything is going great and we are flying along at a quick pace. Then there are those times when it seems like we just rounded the second turn and suddenly everything seems to be coming at us, all at the same time. When that happens, all we can really do is to grit our teeth, dig down deep, lean into the struggle and keep doing what we know needs to be done. However, as Christians, we have an advantage that others do not. We can pray harder, embrace our faith tightly and trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit to see us through any opposing headwind.

As Christians, we have someone who has also experienced those same headwinds and has overcome them all. He too had to lean into the opposition, and trust that the Holy Spirit would guide Him through any difficulties. Jesus would always pray and trust that His Father in Heaven would see Him through any challenging or difficult situation.

Whenever we are facing the headwinds of life, let this be our prayer, “To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever. (Psalm 30:8:12) 

When the headwinds of life are blowing strongly against us, it is time to pray harder, trust God more deeply and grab hold of our faith with the strength of a gorilla. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us through every opposition and every struggle that is trying to slow our momentum or blow us off of God’s path.

Pray for a greater discernment of the events coming against us and the strength to lean into every struggle and every opposition without missing a step.

Whenever I was running track on those windy days, I always felt bad for the crosscountry runners. I may have had to lean into a strong wind on a flat track for about 220 yards, however they had to often lean into strong winds for a mile or more. All while running on an incline. 

We all face life’s strong headwinds on occasion. When they come, and they will come, let us remember to lean into them and keep running our race. Let us remember that God is still on the throne and He is still by our side. So have faith that regardless of whatever life has pushed against us, God will see us through it.