“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” — Henry Ford
When Dietrich Bonhoeffer was 22, he traveled to Barcelona, Spain, to work with a German church there. He had just received his masters in theology. He worked with kids, taught Sunday school at the church and preached on various Sundays. Evidently the church liked what they heard because the membership soared that summer when traditionally it declined. He talked about how he felt there was a oneness between his life and his work. That what he was doing, even at such a young age, was exactly what he felt called to do. And that’s when it was easy.
Don’t we feel the same? That when things are going well, we feel we are doing the right thing and what God wants us to do. We are happy. We are pleased with ourselves and our circumstances. We almost glow with happiness and smiles. Our grace is free and forgiveness flows effortlessly. But what happens when things don’t always work out? The messy part of life. Where work stinks. Our relationships are a struggle. Our families have problems. We struggle financially. We see those things and wonder if we are doing God’s calling. If we are following God’s purpose. We get mad. We get compulsive. We get depressed and we lash out and question God. We sometimes think God should be at our call.
But what if the real work comes from that messy part of life? What if this is what we are really called to do? To weather the storm of life. To see temporary failures as just that. Temporary. And an opportunity to regard our lives as blessed and show others that despite WHATEVER is going on, that we are following God’s purpose and building greatness for a bigger cause. That His ultimate grace is free and never-ending and for us and for others.
Bonhoeffer knew this. Later in his life when he was being held in a German concentration camp for conspiracy against Hitler, he didn’t waiver. He didn’t cower to Nazi influence. He continued to be strong and stand for his beliefs. He didn’t lash out at God. He didn’t question whether his life was for nothing.
So perhaps you are going through the messy part of life right now. Perhaps you are questioning your purpose and how God is working in your life. Just remember, the plane takes off against the wind. It will be hard. There will be struggles. But despite WHATEVER circumstances you are in, you are loved and you have a purpose!