Steeling my nerves, I reserved an early morning hot air balloon adventure as my husband’s gift on his 50th birthday in 1991. The biggest part of the gift was riding along with him. Mind you, I DO NOT do heights. He appreciated the gesture.
It wasn’t what I expected, but I’m glad I went. Otherwise I wouldn’t know the magic of being as one with the air current. There’s no sensation of velocity because there’s no friction between the balloon and the wind. It’s effortless, quiet (except for the occasional burner fire), serene, and peaceful.
SpoilerAlert: The basket moves. As folks jostle around to get a different look at the ground WAY below, the basket shifts. My response was white knuckles, desperately clinging to one corner while trying to maintain a cool and untraumatized expression.
“God can’t give us peace and happiness apart from Himself because there is no such thing.” – C.S. Lewis
You Can’t Steer a Hot Air Balloon
You can’t steer a hot air balloon because it travels with the air current in both direction and velocity. It is what it is. It’s tranquil and peaceful because you go with the flow, not against it.
Like God’s will.
Which isn’t necessarily what you expect. It’s not so much about triumph and power as it is tranquility and peace. Like a balloon riding the air currents, being in God’s will is going with the flow; no struggle, no friction, and no ragged edges.
Why It’s Hard to Stay in God’s Will
Two things make staying in God’s will challenging, our own desires and movement when someone else’s actions cause our basket to shift. But once you’ve been there, nothing else will satisfy. Like the call of the wild or the sea, surfing waves or riding air currents, it’s something within you that responds without thought.
In this case, it’s the Holy Spirit that changes your heart.
“The love of Christ is always there and unchanging, no matter what we do, but it is when we are obedient that we actually begin to feel it.” – Criss Jami
This post was originally published as the early autumn LynnBaber.com newsletter.
Related post: 5 Tips to Successfully Negotiate Left Seasons
And another: Unexpected Fear When God Changes Your Gifts
