The Wind of God
Have you ever been sailing? I have used a small single-person Sunfish on a few occasions. There was satisfaction when the wind blew in the direction I wanted to go. The boat glided efficiently atop the water. And when the wind blew against my destination, I relied on my limited ability to inefficiently tack the little vessel. Utilizing a jagged trajectory, I eventually navigated the boat toward the shore. At times, however, the wind stopped blowing. I just sat in the boat waiting for a breeze to push me somewhere, anywhere. Uncheerfully, I concluded, I am no longer sailing. Now, I am just bobbing – waiting for the wind to blow.
The Bible uses the wind as an image for God’s spirit. When the Holy Spirit arrives at Pentecost, the Spirit’s arrival is described as “a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house” (Acts 2.2). This imagery comes from Jesus. When explaining how a person must be “born again,” Jesus says, “The spirit gives birth to spirit.” Jesus then clarifies, “You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3.7-8). The connection between the Spirit and the wind is further made clear in the Greek language, which the language used to write New Testament. In the Greek, pneuma is translated as both Spirit and wind; the context determine which word is used our English translations.
Given the biblical imagery connecting the Spirit and wind, we can expect our understanding of wind to enhance our understanding of the Spirit. The wind cannot be seen, only its effects are visible to us. Likewise, we cannot see the Spirit. We can see the see effects of the Spirit and the direction the Spirit is moving. The wind is also beyond our control. Even with our great technical abilities, scientist cannot control the wind. So also with the Spirit, which cannot be controlled. The Spirit goes as the Spirit desires. Lastly, the wind, like the Spirit, is powerful. The wind powers turbines, spins cyclones, and launches hurricanes. The Spirit, similarly, operates with great power – the greatest power, the very power of God.
Our personal experience with God’s Spirit often feels like my experience on that Sunfish. At times, the Spirit seems to fill our sails and launch us forward. The sky is blue. The waters are smooth. And our little boat gracefully glides into our future. When we experience such times with God’s Spirit, relish these moments: God is using us in great ways. As we think our role in building the Kingdom of God, these are the instances we are building more, building better, and building beautifully. For some people, this season lasts decades, and for others, this moment seems only a flash, but for however long the Spirit fills our sail, guide onward.
At other times, God sets our course, but the wind blows against use. Progress is slow, if at all. Every inch forward requires the fullness of our strength. Doubt fills our souls. We ask God, “Why is your path for me so hard? If this is what you want, why is it not easier?” Despite our frustrations, we must continue onward. Despite temptation to surrender to the wind, we must soldier on. During these times, God is training us. We are increasing faith, fostering hope, and learning love. And with these skills, we are building a better sailboat. When the Spirit shift the winds to our back (and those winds will eventually shift), our Sunfish will zoom faster, longer, and farther.
Sometimes, however, the winds cease, and we find ourselves in a holding pattern – literally, going nowhere. God, at such times, feel very far away. Training, while not pleasant, is understandable, but abandonment (at least as we perceive it) seems useless. We ask, “God, where are you?” Our question elicits only the echoing of our own voice. The stillness, though, does provide an opportunity to make repairs. In the calm waters, maintenance is faster. Likewise for us, when winds cease, the Spirit creates a time for self-healing. God wants our sailboat to stay afloat. Thus, while the stillness of air may seem God has deserted us, the opposite is true: God wants to make us well.
Today, whether your Sunfish is forward-bound, zigzagging, or broken, know that the fullness of God’s Spirit is working in your life.
