A friend had their FB status as a quote about the wind. It is so true in the way most live. Whatever way the wind is blowing that is where they are going. No real destination in mind. Just what is convenient or popular at that moment. It brought a piece of scripture to mind when I read the status. From Ephesians 4 verse 14 ...Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
The funny thing is at that very moment I had a show(more specifically, a sermon) cued up to watch on my PVR which ended up being about exactly that section of Ephesians 4. No coincidence as God works in everything and through everything. The pastor talked about how there are many false teachings out there and how we must be wary of those who use scripture to back up their sermon instead of the other way around. Very true and most curious(or brave) for a television evangelist to be that direct. We want to follow the wind of contentment. We want to be told we're okay and everything is fine. We don't want to be challenged and have to fight against the grain for the most part. I am not like that. I have to be careful though, in my zeal for going against the wind of populist teaching they aren't always wrong.
I was in a room of mostly angry people recently. Thankfully it wasn't me they were angry with. It was a 12 step fellowship I am not a part of. I was there in support of a friend. What they said about step 1 was contrary to what I had been taught elsewhere. That your recognition of your own powerlessness was not going to keep you away from ____(fill in the blank with what fits your life) alone. I believe that to be true and it took going into a dark and gloomy room with some filthy mouthed people to find out that not all fellowships are the same in their belief system. What a lot of people don't understand is that there is more to recovery than stopping that thing that you do. It has to be a change in mindset too. Being a Christian sure helps. That daily dying that I do keeps me grounded. Whatever your issue is, it's not the real issue, as the common enemy is compulsive behavior which stems out of deeper emotional issues. A lot of people turn form their thing to other things or trying to change other people. Many become addicted to meetings. Meetings are good but they alone won't make you full and complete. Actually getting out and living a life that is pleasing to God and edifying for your soul will complete you. If all your recovery time is spent talking about how you used to be then what is the point. Helping others is good but staying in that head space all the time is not what God wants for you.
You have to let God lead you in what to follow and what to avoid. I kept trying to find good and well adjusted people to help me become a better person. What I found was that everyone is at least a little broken. Now I do my best to find the good in people. I look at it as a jigsaw puzzle and everyone I meet has a piece I need to complete the puzzle. That good I see in everyone I meet is the wind in my sails. Not the winds of popularity which often blow strong but don't last. If I can get a little better understanding of myself by learning of others experience and following their good examples then I am positive that my Sailboat is headed in the right direction and there no special prize for getting there early. In fact the journey can be a reward in itself.
So if you never go against the wind you probably never get the full amount of blessings God has for you. However if you are always fighting the wind you probably have some issues to deal with. Take it to God. Ask for discernment and test things out and ask him if this is good and pleasing or selfish. He'll show you what is right. God Bless you in your journey!
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