I sat watching my 5 year old son “swimming” during his lessons this past summer. Liam had the motions right, he was doing the crawl stoke and kicking. However, Liam wasn’t getting anywhere – he was so determined to swim he was moving his arms at a rapid rate and in doing so almost standing still in the water. I reminded Liam to slow down, be deliberate in his strokes – initially he refused to take my suggestion thinking he knew better, then when his instructor told him the same thing he tried it out. He started moving across the pool. The next day however Liam was back to his manic pace of strokes and getting nowhere.
How often do we get so excited in our walk with Jesus that we end up flailing around? Our spirits are in the right place, we are moving the right way but we are doing so so fast that we look half crazy and are getting nowhere, let alone helping out in building God’s kingdom. I know I am very much guilty of this. A Christian sister will come along side me and offer some suggestions, slow down Jessi – take a breath, don’t take on so much. Depending on my heart I may openly and willingly take her suggestion or I may hear her words but figure I really know what is best for me and how to get the job done and I foolishly continue flailing around. Then Jesus will step in and remind me to slow down, be more deliberate in my steps, don’t take on so much that I sink and most times I listen. However, just like Liam I often revert back to my old ways of doing God’s work MY way. At those moments I wonder, does Jesus look upon me and shake his head saying “Jessi why are you working so hard?”
I recently took a day to spend in God’s word. I was blessed with the opportunity to spend the day alone at my parent’s house in the mountains – on sunny day completely surrounded by God’s creation and it was magnificent. I was blessed with the company of my parents senior aged dog who was quite happy to sit with me on the deck provided that she have cold water and we stayed in the shade. I dove into the word, not sure where I would read or what. I ended up reading the entire book of Ecclesiastes. Throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, there is reference to chasing after wind. Chapter 1 verse 14 is the first “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after wind.” Again in verse 17, “Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this too is a chasing after wind.” This describing life without God – that we are chasing after nothing. Without God we cannot find enjoyment. Our purpose is not fulfilled when we are chasing after wind, flailing around like a child just learning how to swim. The great blessing in this is that we have an amazing instructor and a guide to start living out our purpose of spreading God’s love. The instructor is Jesus, the guide is the Holy Spirit and our guide book is the Bible. We have all of the tools we simply need to humble ourselves, recognize we don’t know how to do it best and seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit – most of all in this crazy fast paced world – we need to slow down, be thoughtful and deliberate in our steps and within that amazing grace – make strides in spreading God’s glory!
Where are you flailing today? What is the wind that you are chasing? Slow down, prayerfully ask God to show you how to slow your steps to meaningfully live for his glory. Be open to hearing these suggestions, they may come from a sister, a husband, a child or spoken directly to your heart by Jesus. In any voice, as long as they align with scripture it is the Truth and when listened to you will stop striving after wind.
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