Lessons In Flight
Learning to Fly
You might be surprised to hear that I'm a bit of an adrenaline junky. I don’t helicopter drop-ski or surf 60-foot killer waves but I do like a good roller coaster free-fall, a fast tight turn in my car, and the feel you get being absolutely weightless and upside down while bungee-jumping. Exhilarating!
Since I want to stay around a while longer for my wife and daughter's sake, yet still get a good thrill, I recently tried indoor sky diving. It was a blast and felt like the real thing (or so I was told).
Here are a couple of key lessons I learned about life while “flying.” David, my instructor, informed me that the biggest challenge for me (and for most people who do this) would be to not try to " muscle" my way through it. He said I would drop like a rock if I resisted and fought. Instead, he said I needed to relax completely and to allow my core to be flexible. That sure didn’t sound right to me! How was I going to "relax" while being pushed and lifted off the ground by nearly 100 MPH wind? But he was right. I had to trust that if I was in the right position and relaxed enough, that the wind would hold me up.
“Relax! If you are in the right position with God (where He wants you), He will hold you up.”
While being in that intense wind tunnel , I just had to relax, listen to the instructor, do what He said and then I would “fly”. That is exactly how God wants us to live for Him--relaxed, listening to His voice and willing to do what He says-- He will take care of the rest.
I also learned that any little body movements can completely shift what is happening in the air. David showed me how to put my arms out, how far to bend or straighten my legs, and even how wide to place my fingers. When everything was just right, He let go of me and I began to "fly!" It was awesome!
I had friends and family there watching so I attempted to do something on my own-- I gave them a thumbs up sign but in doing so, my body started to dip. I learned that even the slightest change in the placement of my fingers would cause a reaction to my altitude and flight.
Every little thing we do matters so we need to pay attention to every area of our lives and let God lead. James 4:10 reminds us, to, "Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift us up."
"Every little thing we do matters so we need to pay attention to every area of our lives and let God lead."
Questions for you to ponder this week:
1) Are you relaxed and listening to God or stressed out as you try to live life on your own strength?
2) Are you paying attention to all the little parts of life that God wants you to adjust?
3) Will you live life as an adventure of faith or muscle through it out of fear?
Prayer: “Lord Jesus, you are God and I am not. Help me to stop living as if I am. I am going to relax, listen for your voice, and trust in you. Show me how to glorify you with every part of my life! I don’t want second best in anything. I want your best in all I think, say, and do. Help me to live life as a faithful adventure with you. Amen!”
Scripture: Romans 14:23b, "... and everything that does not come from faith is sin."
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God Bless,
Pastor and Coach Brian Williams
© Brian Williams, 2020