The Storm Draws Nigh

Another huge hurricane is bearing down on the west coast of Florida and most haven’t rebuilt from Ian two years ago. I’m watching four live video cameras pointed at the Gulf of Mexico from Key West up the coast to Tampa Bay as I’m drinking my morning coffee and wondering to myself, ‘why do we hate adversity so much’?

A Lump of Potential

I think of how the artist presses their hands into the clay on the turning wheel and how without the skillful hands of the creator pulling, stretching and reconstituting, the potential would remain a lump of clay unusable and of little desirability.

But when our Creator works with us, part of the process that shapes our being is adversity. God sees unlimited potential in our useless lump of clay. We feel comfortable in our untamed lumpiness, no one notices us, we can’t be knocked over or shattered and we are familiar with our original elements and constitution. We don’t have to dare to be anything.

Adversity comes in many forms, sometimes one fiery trial at a time and sometimes multiple adversities hit at once. This is what happened to Jesus. It was one at a time and then all at once. These adversities in life are opportunities to ‘level up’, to be hewn, to be shaped and formed into something greater than we are today. And though the process can be frightening, bring sadness, seem daunting, God knows what He is doing. The final shaped vessel has to be fired in order to set the work, right? We fail continually sometimes, but God doesn’t stop giving us chances as long as we remain contrite.

God’s Acts are Meaningful, Never Trivial

I take comfort in knowing that I’m not assailed by the devil without reason or without gain. He’s a tool – puns welcomed – in shaping my vessel into a quality usable work in the Kingdom of God. If the devil wasn’t so prideful he could have slithered away out of sight and possibly preserved himself. But it is his pride that continues to dig his own fiery grave because every sin he commits against the Kingdom of God and it’s inhabitants (that’s you and me by the way) God turns for good – as difficult for us as it may seem, just check in with Job – God will turn the tide and deliver the spoil.

God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Being Purposeful About My Activity

Speaking of tides, I got a little gadget and installed a digital art software to play should I find myself waiting: in lines, in cars, at airports or just relaxing at home, etc. I can’t carry my physical art supplies with me everywhere and I’m hoping I’ll spend more time tinkering on this device making art than roaming around social media listening to everyone argue.

I’ve been working on the drawing below, learning the programs features and brushes, while listening to all the dreadful hurricane updates. No one wants it to hit them directly, but that means someone else gets hit directly – go north, go south – even local newscasters catch themselves when they say ‘it would be much better for Tampa if this goes South, well that means Sarasota gets hit but it would be awful for Tampa to get hit’…..

Well, it would be awful for Sarasota to get hit, no? I’ve been praying along with many others that the wind sheer brings the intensity down to a 2 or low 3. God can do anything, we’ll see what happens. Because even King David, with all his prayer and supplication could not save the first born. God is sovereign, I remain humble in this understanding.

Ian cost me great amount of money, but it coast others their memories, their happiness and even their lives. I have to keep my sense of victimhood in check. At least I have options, most people all they have is in the path of this dreadful storm – God may Your opposing wind buffer this monster’s strength to minimal impact.

The Time is Short, Make the Most of It

Making use of our gifts affords us opportunity and advancement. It also keeps what we have been gifted from being taken away and given to someone else willing to make use of it. So to put this truth into practice in my own life, maybe I’ll start making my own thumbnails on my Youtube channel, it’s a good investment of my talent, as feeble as it is. I’d rather use it than lose it.

Yes, I’m playing around with a channel and trying to figure out what direction God’s wind is blowing. It’s fun, it’s funny and altogether a bit annoying but as I’ve said before, as much as I hate the idea of doing a thing, I hate the idea of a whale lurking with its mouth open wide just beneath the surface of my complacency and fear.

Is there something under the water here?….is that why all the little houses are taking such a fright? I need to add a sea creature under there….maybe I should just put two glowing eyes peering up from the deep.

Featured Image by yours truly, and may the trials you’re facing right now not be for naught but instead transform your life by the skillful work of the Master’s hand. Let’s stay surrendered to Him, let’s stay humble so that we might learn and grow and ultimately flourish for His glory.