Hope

Soaring

Last week I heard on the radio this quip:

While all other birds seek shelter during a storm, the eagle flies above the clouds to avoid it.

It was an intriguing tidbit, but a quick Google search revealed that it was probably more of an urban legend rather than a scientific fact. Eagles do fly high – higher than a lot of other birds – but “flying above the clouds” appeared to be a mischaracterization of what eagles actually do.

It was a sad reality to me, as I thought I had a post about overcoming adversity just waiting to be written. However, as I researched more, I found out a little bit about the flying patterns of these majestic birds. While they may not fly above storms, they are quite adept at using strong winds to their advantage. As one author put it:

Eagles definitely do use the winds (and some quite strong), as well as “updrafts” coming off hills and mountains. This helps them to gain altitude and set them up for a long, soaring flight to another location,

They may not fly above the storms, but they are able to use the strength of the storm to propel them in their journey.

And perhaps, that’s why God says that those who trust in Him will “soar on wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:28-31).  He doesn’t promise that we won’t have to face the storms, but that as we seek Him and His glory, He will use trials to bring about good (Romans 8:28). He says He provides strength to those who are tired, not that the tired will not have to keep on walking. Just like you have to journey through some valleys in order to stand on the mountaintops, so the proper confidence in God can use the stormy winds of life to bring you to the place that He wants you to be, allowing you to sail higher – i.e. glorifying Him more –  than you ever would have without those storms.

We may not be able to avoid the storms. In fact, as Christians, God promises that we will experience them (John 16:33). But that doesn’t mean we can’t soar. It doesn’t mean that we won’t get to where God desires us to be. In fact, it may be the storm that brings us there.

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Purpose

Privileged: Blessed to be a Blessing

A friend once passed on some wisdom that was passed on to him:

“You were blessed to be a blessing.”

In other words, when we receive blessing, it is our job to pour out that blessing upon others.  As my friend described it, we were to see ourselves as a conduit for blessing those around us. God was gracious and generous to us, so that we in turn could be gracious to others.

It’s a Scriptural principle. The early followers of Christ were intent on “passing on” the truth that had been given to them (I Corinthians 15:3). They saw the possessions that they had been given as instruments of generosity to be shared with others (Acts 4:32-35). Jesus Himself told His disciples that others would recognize them as His followers based on how they loved each other. And what would prompt their love for one another – His love that He had first given them (John 13:34-35).

The saying, however, is true in another way as well.  Not only were we given good things in order to pass them on to others, but when Christ uses us to pass on His good gifts, that in itself if a blessing. In other words, we are blessed when we are a blessing. It is a privilege to be used in order to demonstrate Christ’s love and compassion to another.

Viewing service this way, changes your perspective on it. You no longer mind the late night phone calls, or the additional appointment at the end of an already busy day, because you realize that God is granting you favor by using you for His purposes. You realize that a lack of sleep is nothing in comparison to the gain in Heaven. You start recognizing all the benefits and experiences that God has given you, in order to equip you for this particular task. When faced with a difficult situation, your heart pleads “Lord, use this so that one day it might enable me to encourage or strengthen someone else,” rather than “Lord. please just end this!”

Not that I’m perfect at this. I still have days where I wonder how I’ll get things done. There are moments where I ponder whether I can really handle all the relationships and responsibilities that God has entrusted me with. But the more I see it as a privilege, the less I view it as a problem. The more I see it as a blessing, the more I realized how blessed I am.

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