God's big on windsurfing.

The other night I was reading my devotion, and God spoke to me through a fantastic parallel. I think He must be big on windsurfing, from what came into my head. My roommate, Jess, and I learned to windsurf this weekend -- hopefully a new hobby when I get home!

Even though you might not have tried windsurfing, hopefully this speaks to you about God's will and following His path, regardless...

Proverbs 3:1-12 ~ Further Benefits of Wisdom

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,

² for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

³ Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

⁸ This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

We are starved for direction, but we do not have to fear. The Wind (Holy Spirit) is our direction. There are multiple options ahead and things that could happen: upwind, downwind, crosswind; falling off and starting over, going back to shore, staying close to swimmers or other windsurfers, going farther out on our own.

Which way to go? Should we change directions? As a beginner, we don't know everything about making the best directional decision. The Wind changes, and in turn our paths change.

We try to make the best choices and hope for the best, we want the Wind to take us, we innately desire staying on the path.

We want to know all the answers, the right way to point our arms and feet. We want to be fully balanced, but sometimes -- always -- we have to align ourselves with the ways of the Wind if we ever want to go at all, or truly learn how to surf.

To get direction from the Wind, we must understand it.

Just as learning something new feels transforming and freeing, a life with God at your center is fundamentally altering. He changes our character (our posture on the board) to be in line with Him, our outlook (knowing He is in control no matter what lies ahead), and our priorities.

We can do nothing at all, especially windsurf, if we do not let the Wind guide us, bowing to its presence. Sometimes, just as with the sail's boom, we have to truly let go of control to let Him guide us. When we "jump ship" and lose our balance, we feel lost.

In truth, aside from the metaphor, we are then directed by the person God has made us into -- a new creation governed by the indwelling Jesus. When we are up and sailing, then every true victory is His. We are fully reliant on Him, praising Him and celebrating His goodness -- His direction.

As Proverbs 3 says, we must first trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. (We refuse to lean on our own understanding -- the hardest part as a human. We acknowledge His sufficiency -- and our inefficiency in everything.) Then if we acknowledge Him in all of our ways, in everything we do, He will make our paths straight.

We are not using God, but acknowledging Him in everything, and then we can clearly hear and feel Him directing our paths through that intimate relationship.