Wild winds whine

 

Wild winds whine and wail round the house, whistling forlornly through the window panes and raising an ache of loneliness or longing inside. Yet gazing out the prayer window, blue skies are clear, with only the occasional wisp of white cloud. It looks peaceful and calm: a static photo does not reveal the agitation going on here on the ground.

Years ago, I met a woman with whom I was acquainted through prayer groups, but who I didn’t know well. She was about ten or fifteen years older than me, a lovely woman of God who has moved on into his presence now.

I ran into Jeannie on the High Street. We got into conversation. She told me about a Christian conference she had recently attended, where she heard God encouraging his followers to listen to the desires of their hearts, as those desires may be from Him.

At the time, I was wrestling with a real desire to invest my time in writing. With a growing family of four children, extra money would have been good, so contending with that desire to write was a sense of duty to go out and get a job. It felt like self-indulgence v responsibility, but after talking with Jeannie, I saw it differently. It became trusting in God v trusting in my own strength.

Many years later, when I knew Jeannie better, I reminded her of that conversation, telling her that because of her encouragement, I did invest my time in writing and God, through Don’s efforts and other means, supplied all we needed.

Jeannie did not remember the conversation on the High Street. In our conversation, I perhaps seemed peaceful and content, masking the storm that raged within me. Without even being aware, Jeannie’s words came, I believe, from God to speak directly into my situation.

May I be open and willing for him to use me in such a way today. Words are so important. May I use them wisely. May my tongue ‘be the pen of a ready writer’, a writer giving life and hope to the weary and downcast.

Lord, I pray for a gift of discernment, that I will not be misled by someone’s apparent peace and contentment, but will trust you to speak words of comfort, wisdom or peace through my mouth or my ‘pen’. May I always lean on You, trusting you to give me an encouraging word which will speak to the heart of another. May I be obedient to your call to deeper prayer for others, trusting that in the sighs and groans and secret language of the Spirit, you are responding to the cries which may whine and whistle within the heart, unseen by the world.