Storms Are Not Selective

Storms came through shortly after lunch yesterday.
Winds out of nowhere began to whip the tops of trees, sending a shower of small broken limbs and leaves cascading down into the street and yard.
Never seen wind like this in the 36 years we've lived on Greene Street.

Trees went down.....
And as quickly as the wind had come...it was gone. But the aftermath of its presence was all around. Life had come to my street. Life with all its mess and worry....life with all its upsetting of the norm.....life.  Sometimes the weatherman can predict what is headed our way...sometimes they miss it. And whether the prediction is right or not, it doesn't stop the fact that storms are still moving toward us. Isn't that just like life? 

You can kind of see destruction headed when the choices made by people are not good. You can see that unless precautions are put in place....unless the choices made are better ones, it's going to end in a bad way. 

Truth is, we all have to face storms of life. Those who have found the better way in following Christ, and those who are still out in that old life simply trying to keep their heads above water. It rains on everyone. The storms come and tear down what we've spent years trying to build. There isn't much fairness in life, yet I keep hearing from those who have given into the darkness and followed it down that "death" road. They look at those who have chosen to walk a path of righteousness, and proclaim that "life isn't fair!".  You want the truth? Here it is. Life isn't fair. We don't get "fair" until life is over. We are not going to get "fair" on this side of heaven.

It's not fair that some of my neighbors are having to move trees and debris from their houses and yards. These are good folk, never harming anyone. Yet that ol' storm didn't pass them over. I heard concern in the voices of my neighbors. I saw weariness in their eyes, as we are an older group, and the physicality of attacking the clean up is a bit beyond us. But there we were....out in our yards with rakes and wheelbarrows picking limb after limb.

Addiction tells you that the destruction that has come to your life is too much. It convinces you that you cannot clean up any of it. Well, you've got to start. It begins with the first "Limb" you pick up. Then you reach for another, and another, and another. You don't stop until the mess is cleared. I know that the amount of destruction found in the life of someone in addiction is like looking at Mt. Everest. I know it looks beyond human capability to overcome. But such is why we all are in dire need of having relationship with a HIGHER POWER. A higher power that has a name.....and that name is Jesus. 

When we turn will and life over to His care, He will direct you step by step to deal with the mess that has filled your life.........one limb at a time. Don't let the darkness tell you to ignore the mess and go get high or drunk. Don't let the lies of our enemy the devil convince you that you'll never be able to rid yourself of the destruction that is in your "front yard". Let Christ empower you to find that first limb, and them pick it. Cast it aside and move to the next limb. Pretty soon you've got the debris stacked up near the street for the city trucks to come by and pick it up. In the case of Christ....He will take your mess and cast it away. In return you get everything He has to offer, such as life....real life...abundant life. Not a bad deal, is it?

God on you...
mbb