Stormy weather...

I have been prompted today to consider what storms - internal or external - may prevent me from doing God's will. Much like Jonah who faced his own internal storm and then the literal external storm.

Honestly I can't really think of one - not a large and considerable storm. I don't have huge internal battles to comply with God's desire for my life. I don't live a life of constant tension looking out for the next confrontation I have with God because I reject His will for me. Quite the opposite in fact - I've discovered God to be much greater, much wiser, than I am. Even though I may not always have understood His reasoning or sending I have been able to consider things in reflection and know that He has always had a purpose.

That doesn't mean to say I have never struggled with God's direction for my life...

25 years ago, Catherine and I were appointed to a ministry which soon proved to be, in our minds not a good or 'right' appointment. It didn't fit us and we did not fit it. The people openly expressed they're dislike of many of our decisions - even when they had initially agreed with them and, on one occasion, I was told 'we hate your wife'.

Difficult doesn't begin to describe it - a storm of Biblical proportions. We only stayed twelve months and then we moved to arguably our happiest appointment in church leadership.

Yet only three years ago while leading a church retreat a young mum came and spoke to us, reminding us that she had been a young person in that 'difficult' fellowship many years previously and she had realised how difficult it was for us with the significant opposition we faced.

'But I was glad you were there for me' she said.

In those seven words two things happened: firstly I realised how much bitterness I still had from that time, I had never really let it go and didn't even realise I was holding onto it. Secondly I let it go. It was as if having been in the storm for just twelve months I had held onto some piece of shipwreck to keep me in the storm and by letting go of it I was now able to float on the tide of God's grace to the security of the dry land of His love.

So is there a storm today separating me from God? I don't think so but I may not know until I recognise the alternative...