Keeping Warm During a Spiritual Wind-Chill

As I type this, I am sitting at home on Thursday morning. The sun is shining, and the wind is blowing. What might otherwise be a nice warm day now may require a jacket or sweatshirt. The wind definitely impacts what the temperature feels like outside. During the winter, the weathermen even provide us with the wind-chill factor. That is just a fact of life in Michigan.

Now, please allow me to spin this discussion a bit, and use it as an analogy for spiritual life. There are all kinds of things that can be like the wind and cool what might otherwise be a great day. Sometimes it may be the busyness and demands of life. Other times, it may be the loss of job, health, or a family member that chills (and not in a good way) the warmth of our relationship with God and others. It could also be a sinful choice or pattern that produces a spiritual wind-chill factor. We all have moments, hours, and days where the winds of life chill us and leave us uncomfortable.

Is there anything we can do about it? You bet there is. Just like we might put on a sweatshirt or a jacket to reduce the chill of the wind, there are a number of things we can do to combat the chill of life’s winds on our spiritual life. If it is sin that is chilling us, our first move must be to confess it to God, asking for forgiveness and help to resist temptation. If, however, it isn’t a matter of sin, we have a number of resources available. Prayer is always a good starting point, as it renews our relationship with the Savior. The Bible is another great help, as in it, we hear from God Himself and find that we are not alone in our struggles (the Psalms can be especially helpful in these times). Perhaps Christian radio or a favorite Christian CD will warm you. Gold City sings a song that starts out, “There’s just something about a good old gospel song, that brings joy to your heart when things are going wrong …” The list could go on.

So, what’s the point of all this? When the winds of life send a spiritual chill, find what refreshes your relationship with God, and put your “jacket” on.

In His grip,
Pastor Decker