Weather vs. Climate

Dear Friends, 

Before I went into full-time Christian ministry I was a Physical Education and Geography High School teacher in inner city London. As a geography teacher, I had a great enthusiasm for the changing weather systems that came across the UK. So I want to share this thought with you about the difference between Weather and Climate. 

If you're currently going through something difficult, that is a setback, a mistake, a failure, a tragedy, or a sadness, it is "weather." But faith, strength, resilience, belief, and positivity are "climate."

Often, you may have no control over the weather. Weather can come from other people, it can come from other situations and events, and because we're attached to the people who are going through inclement weather, it can affect the weather in our lives too. Sometimes we can’t control the weather, but we can always control the climate.

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus is asleep in the boat. The apostles are trying their best to keep the boat afloat and not perish, and all the while Jesus is asleep on a cushion, in the stern of the boat. I never thought much about that while reading the passage, I had only focused on Jesus calming the sea.

After a long day, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:36-40)

Jesus was able to sleep peacefully because His internal climate was stable. He offers us that same peace when we are faced with storms. John 14:27 says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid."

Remember, the thing about the weather is it's seasonal. I want to encourage those of you today that are going through a difficult weather front. It may last a while, but don’t mistake it for, or read it as the new climate in your life. It’s not. 

A prayer: Jesus I ask you to stand up in my boat and declare Your climate, Your peace, Your rule and reign, Your Kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven, over my current storm. Amen.

Please let me know how I can pray for you. 

Cheers, 

Pastor Derek+