Into the Stormഉദാഹരണം

The Storm of Self

All sorts of storms can happen in life; however, not all storms come from external sources. At times we can be the storm in our own lives, like a tornado leaving damage and destruction everywhere we go. Our decisions, emotions, poor choices, and sin nature can spiral out of control and devastate everything around us. The apostle Paul candidly wrote about the destructive sin nature within himself in Romans 7. He said, “I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway” (Romans 7:18-19). If you are anything like me, then I am sure at times you have looked back on something you have done and thought, What is wrong with me? It is because, as Paul said in Romans 7:14, “The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.” Unfortunately, all of us are “all too human.”

Sometimes we make flat-out horrible, big, bold sinful choices. But typically, there is a gradual buildup to a life-damaging storm of self. The wind picks up slowly with a series of small, bad choices that eventually lead to big mistakes and major destruction. Most people do not wake up and think, I’m going to ruin my life today, or even, I’m going to sin today. Most of the time we make small compromises that build over time and land us in compromising situations where we end up wondering how in the world everything went so sideways.

There is a commonly understood principle in aviation called the 1 in 60 rule. It states that for each single degree of error in heading over a distance of 60 miles, the aircraft will go approximately one full mile off course. This means that in the short two‑hour flight from Atlanta to New York City, one degree of variation in course direction could land you more than 13 miles away from your intended destination. You could be planning to land at LaGuardia Airport but end up in Jersey or in the Atlantic Ocean.

It is not our intentions that lead us to a destination, but our decisions. You can have the best intentions in the world, but if you make poor decisions, you will not end up at your intended destination. Chances are that if you find yourself far from where you want to be, it is not because of a single sharp turn. Instead, it was a series of small degree errors in direction that eventually led you completely off course.

Despite your mistakes and sin, your heavenly Father is waiting with open arms for you to come home. Despite your brokenness and filth, your heavenly Father sees you and knows who you really are. There is no sin or shame too great for His grace to cover. There is no accuser that can refute His mercy and love. There is no prodigal He will not run to and embrace.