Our beautiful WaterColor, Florida beach town had a hurricane heading straight for it late last week, and there was nothing we could do to stop it.
The winds and rain were brewing, and it was simply a waiting game.
We watched as our friends who live locally prepared and waited. Thankfully, our friends are safe, and it could have been far worse.
As I sat down during nap time to write today's devo, with this recent hurricane and the emotions surrounding our friends and this special place fresh on my heart, I couldn't help but see the parallels between a hurricane and the circumstances that come our way in life.
So much of what we face is beyond our control. We can't control the weather or the storms that come our way in life. But we can choose where we turn our attention and what we allow to take root in our hearts.
I was studying Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 this week, particularly verses 14–21, after one of our retreat guests sent a timely note of encouragement my way. I love how we notice the Holy Spirit using the people around us to encourage us at just the right time, if we have eyes to see it.
Paul prays that believers would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit, that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith, and that they would be rooted and grounded in love. He prays that they would begin to comprehend the immeasurable love of Christ and be filled with the fullness of God.
He closes by reminding us that God is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine, according to His power at work within us.
We can't always control what's happening around us, but we can fix our eyes on Jesus, depend on the strength of His Spirit, and choose to walk in His love.
We saw this lived out in the local 30A community as neighbors linked arms, picking up debris in yards beyond their own, offering shelter to families without power, and finding ways to care for and check on one another.
This is what happens when Christ's love takes root in us. We become people who show up for one another, not because we have everything under control, but because our strength comes from Him. We are one family in Christ.
We may not control the storm, but we can learn to live rooted in the One who sustains us through it.
What circumstance might you be trying to control right now that isn't yours to manage? How might God be inviting you to remain rooted in His love and rely on His strength as you navigate it today?
Britt Goff | Wheatful Wednesday
If you'd like to make a little room with us to see what God is doing in your beautifully full life, we'd love to invite you to join us at Behold Retreat November 5–8 in WaterColor, FL. Learn more here. Doors closing tomorrow, Thursday, 10/15!