Broken and Exposed

Down in the back corner of our yard there has been a big box elder tree.  It's been there since we moved in, and for a long time before that. 

But in the last week or so one of its twin trunks fell to the windstorms we've had here in Lodi recently.  We didn't notice it until today, but we were impressed with the damage.  Not like the tornado damage in the Southeast states, to be sure, but that the wind could do this to what seemed like such a strong tree - we were impressed!

Until we saw that the inner core of the trunk was rotten to the point of emptiness.  We had not noticed this before because the weak part of the trunk faced away from the yard - it fooled us all these years, as we thought of it as the image of strength!  And yet the windstorm broke it at its weak point and exposed the emptiness within.

Just like the Holy Spirit does sometimes, I think.  I like to think of the Holy Spirit as the gentle Breath of God, bringing peace like Jesus did when He breathed on His disciples that Easter Sunday evening. 

But there are times when the Holy Spirit blows like a windstorm and "strips the trees bare," as the Psalm says.  Times when He blows hard enough to break us at our weak spots and expose the emptiness within our hearts. 

I think, though, that the wind that broke our tree was just a force of nature, with no intent or understanding of what it might do to our tree.  But the Holy Spirit knows what He's doing when He breaks us at our weak spots and exposes our emptiness.  He knows that we need to see and admit our weakness and emptiness so that He can heal and strengthen and fill us with the grace and peace that only He can give.  He breaks and exposes not to destroy, but to give us true life. 

Now, do I invite His breaking and exposing so that I can have that life, or do I try to stand in my own strength against the power of His loving breath?