Adjusting Our Sails
There is an old joke, “how many Presbyterians does it take to change a light bulb? CHANGE! Why do we have to change?” Change the name and the same can apply to lots of groups.
Change is taking place all around us, whether we choose to embrace it or not is another story.
Change to one person can bring about excitement and joy, but to another person, the very same change can cause sadness and worry.
When it comes to matters of change, I am reminded of the phrase,“We Can Not Direct the Wind, but We Can Adjust Our Sails.”
Our Christian tradition has a word for “adjusting our sails.”It is called metanoia—it means new and renewed ways of thinking, seeing, being, behaving.
These days we have many storm clouds that loom in our life; a healthy economy, drought, a prosperous job market, affordable health care, quality public schools.Perhaps the storm clouds are about family. Maybe a family member has become verbally, emotionally or physically abusive. Maybe our adult children didn’t grow up and become the independent and responsible adults we had hoped. Whatever the storm cloud in life, metanoia is possible.
The Bible tells a story where the disciples are with Jesus and in the midst of a storm at sea.We seethe power of Jesus to still the storm, to rule over chaos, to bring a new day. Christ is not a mere mortal enjoining us to keep calm and have faith. He is one who disarms the very real powers of chaos and death and rules over them.
What the passage reveals is the opening of our lives to the disruptive word and work of God.Why is it that when God brings us to a new place in life, the journey is rarely smooth and easy?
We live in a world where quick fixes are offered at every turn.When it comes to matters of faith, God works at the speed of a crock-pot, in a world in desperate need of microwave solutions.
Opening our lives and trusting God deeper is walking by faith into metanoia--new and renewed ways of thinking, seeing, being, behaving.
We may not be able to direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails.
Have a Good Week.
Rev. Dan