Understanding the big "WHY?"

The Lord gave me a nice window of sun to get a quick run in this morning. I could see the clouds and gray sky before me when I set out. I prayed as I hit play on my Pandora worship station that the Lord would pick the songs I needed to hear. He loves us so much that he even gets involved in the minutia of our day. He did not waste any time bringing me into total worship a tenth of a mile into my run. Once I left our sub and got out onto the open road I was hit head on by a strong wind. Maybe gusts up to 20 mph coming right at me. I love to run not because it gives me some amazing endorphins or anything. I run because I like to eat.  So when I face things like rain or strong wind I can find a lot of good reasons to head back home but not today. Today I needed to run for some alone time with the Lord. Today I needed some time to let him speak to me in the solitude of my own mind and he did. As I was closing in on mile one I felt my body want to stop. The wind was taking its toll. Then an amazing song came on and I got lost in worship again. I will run with my hands raised, arms out, eyes closed,( I try to remember to open them every few seconds. I have not been hit by a car...yet.) I must look like a crazy person but it feels so freeing. As I pushed myself on to mile two I felt the Lord lay on my heart, "My love for you is like the wind. Sometimes it will push against you to make you stronger and other times it will come behind you to carry you." You see, most runners know if you want to get stronger muscles you need to train with resistance. Ether wind or water or running in sand. All of those things put stress on you body and while they cause pain and fatigue when you are doing it they will build strength for your next run. Some times God shakes us up. Takes us out of our "happy, comfy spot" to make us stronger. It is ok to ask Him, "why are you doing this? Show me your will." In fact, that is what he wants us to do in the hard times. As king David said. "Search me, God, and know my heart: test me and know my anxious thoughts." Psalm 139:23
It can be hard but the storm never lasts forever. It will always come to an end at some point. Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5. We all know that sometimes pain last longer than just one night but we can always hope and wait for the wind to change. My first two miles were hard but when I turned around to head home the last two were amazing. I had the wind at my back, my legs were warm and Jesus was in my heart. God knows how long to keep the "wind in our face". He knows when we desperately need "the wind at our back". He is sovereign, merciful, beautiful and wonderful to those that call on him.  Sometimes, in our "humanieness" we don't understand what he is doing but if we seek to praise him, trust him and learn from our trials than he will meet us in a beautiful display of hope and compassion. He is so good. He is so faithful. No matter what He asks us to walk through we can trust, hope and know it will be for His glory and for our good. Praise Him in the storm. Praise Him in the calm. Praise Him...