Adjust the Sails

 “Look to the Lord for His strength; see His face always.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

A friend of mine was shopping in a garden store for plants recently. She found a pot that she decided she had to buy. It said, “We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”

I think that says a lot about how we go through life. The winds come—in so many different ways! Whether we want them to or not, the winds blow in and buffet us. Sickness, sadness, loss, disappointment, financial challenges, conflict—at unwanted, unexpected moments those “winds” come. Of course, there can be some good winds that help us sail along smoothly too. We all long for those winds.

We don’t have control over the winds—but we can adjust our “sails” with God’s help to weather the winds and keep going. God has been so gracious in helping me to do that with all the winds that have come my way. I’m so grateful. He has been with me in the midst of a lot of stormy winds.

“We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul – not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives.  It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy” (Colossians 1:11 MSG)

When the winds come, He helps us adjust the sails…and He turns the storms into joy as He walks beside us, helping us to “finish well.”

Lord, make us more aware of Your presence in our lives as we adjust our sails to move into Your perfect plans for us. We know that though we may we buffeted by the strong winds, You are stronger and will keep us from going under. In Jesus’ name, Amen.