Trickle the fickle mind with a sincere consistency they've never seen before...become a soothing balm where none other can be found. A man or woman that is self-assured/aware can be likened to water in the desert for those that have traveled far and wide. For those that have wandered finding only the pessimistic noose growing tighter. Looking for something that doesn't melt in the sun or sink to the bottom of the sea. Looking for that something special that can withstand all the elements of life and remain internally unaffected. A beautiful miracle that has found roots in truth that can never be ripped up...ever growing, ever producing fruit. I know this is true of my Lord...
For the sake of true character, true strength in humility and most of all...true love. May it be true of me as well...
Storms...you can't avoid them. Those that have you in the center of the eye or on the outskirts feelin the gusts of wind. Even those that are far enough for you to marvel at. Some people avoid them altogether by turning away or remaining in their sanctuaried bunkers. Others watch them for far too long and others...well. They learn to ride them out like masters.
I knew a man that seemed to keep his cool in any situation. It was as though he was unflinching in his steadiness. My father once told me "You see him?", "He can watch a building burning and seem as though it was an everyday occurrence". He was describing my pastor and though his assessment was spot on, I now know better.
It wasn't that he didn't care or was unmoved. His trust in God gave him a deeper understanding. That although that building was burning and chaos surrounded him, he believed enough to know that God was in control. That although the chaos surrounding him could be felt on his skin and bones...that's as far as he would allow it to go.
My dear friends. He didn't avoid bad news. He didn't hide in his comfort zone or in a bubble where everything was just the way he wanted it to be. Watching the storm as long as he did allowed him the foresight to separate true dangers from the fallacy of mass hysteria. He came to know when to wait and see and when to act. There was no room for panic or fear because he was informed with all the possibilities but most of all he understood something even more powerful. That some things you can change and some things are beyond your control. His comfort came knowing that what he could not do...God would. Call the uncontrollable "fate" or whatever you want but some rivers are meant to flow in one direction.
Armed with these two weapons, you will always find peace no matter where you are or what mess you find yourself in. Don't be afraid to take in the gusts of wind...just learn how to fly. Don't be afraid at the flow of the river...just learn how to swim. If you find yourself overtaken at any time, the fact that you are alive only means that your "overtaking" is gonna take you to a place you were meant to go...sail on my loves.
