John 3:8 (NRSV), “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

I have confessed this before, but I will say it again. I have a “Type A” personality. I am a task driven person. Productivity gets me high! Checking off items on a “to do” list makes me feel extremely accomplished. I hate being idle. I am a doer. These personality traits don’t mix with my current season of transition. I’m in transition personally and professionally. I describe it as waiting on my next marching orders from God. I’m not a good waiter. The Lord is working on me though.

Yesterday was one of the first 60-degree, sunny days we’ve had in a long time. To celebrate the arrival of spring, I took my children for a long walk on a path through the woods near my mother’s house. We stopped at a playground along the way. I took time to nurse my daughter while my son soaked up the sun and played on the swing with his cousin. As I sat on the bench, I looked up through the trees and into the clear blue sky and I saw several hawks floating on the breeze. They weren’t flapping their wings. They weren’t trying to reach any particular place. They were just soaring on the wind. In that moment, I allowed God to speak to my spirit and teach me the lesson the hawks already know. How many times do we waste our energy flapping our wings and hustling to get to the next destination, level or assignment when God wants us to take time to enjoy the breeze and view? The hawks didn’t fight or work against the wind. They allowed the wind to carry them wherever it desired, while at the same time, enjoying the breathtaking views and the wind against their faces and underneath their wings. What a lesson for us!

John 3:8 (NRSV) says, “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Sometimes it is not easy living by the Spirit because you have to live by faith. You don’t know where the wind of the Spirit is taking you. You may go up, down, left or right. However, let us heed the lesson of the hawks. Enjoy the journey. Enjoy the ride. Enjoy the view. Don’t waste your energy flapping against the wind. Allow the wind of the Spirit to carry you to your next destination. You’ll find yourself soaring in no time.

Here’s a video of a hawk soaring the resembles what I saw…

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2 Replies to “The Lesson of the Hawks”

  1. Lauren, I very much enjoyed this word picture, reminding me to quit striving and know that He is God. I can trust him in the slow times as much as when my path is more like a freeway.
    (Visiting from SDG)

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