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The Trouble with Warmth

It’s March—that means winter is almost over, right? Well, sometimes it feels like spring is just around the corner, but on other days it seems as if winter’s icy grip will never let go.

Today it’s warm, maybe it will get as high as 50 degrees. To air out the office and enjoy the fresh air, I have opened my windows—wide. There’s only one problem with this. While that wonderful air comes in my window, it blows all of my papers around.

On days like today, when I’m busy in several directions, my desk has several piles of papers on it. (Don’t let me fool you; it’s really that way most of the time.) My windows face south, and when the warmer weather hits, the wind comes from the south—right in my window—and blows the papers around.

I had to find a variety of heavy objects to keep it all in place—telephone, stapler, tape dispenser, books, and yes, even a paperweight. I could close the window, but then I’d miss all that nice, refreshing air.

That’s a little bit the way it is with our faith. When we believe in God, we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s influence. God enters our lives and does what He wants, instead of what is easiest for us. Jesus told Nicodemus:

John 3:8
“The wind blows where it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone that is born of the Spirit.”

We never know who God will touch, so it’s always our job to keep telling people about God and speaking out his Word. Then the Holy Spirit has something to work with to bring people to faith in Jesus.

Beyond that, when God is working in our lives, things happen, things change. Like the paper blowing around on the desk, we may not like it, and we may even feel inconvenienced by the changes. But if we know that God is working . . .

Philippians 2:13
“in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure”

. . . then we can accept the wind and the spiritual changes and challenges, and we can be refreshed by them. The warm breezes that signal the change in seasons remind us of God’s promise to help us grow and change in Him.

Heavenly Father thank You that You have touched us with faith and with Your Spirit. Help us always to look for the new and refreshing ways You are working in our lives and to follow where and how You are leading us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.