On a recent 2.5 mile run through my neighborhood, I found myself with the wind in my face for the first 1.5 miles and the wind at my back for the last mile.  The first 1.5 miles required more energy to keep pace, more concentration to keep stride and more determination to keep going.  I have discovered that the wind can be both friend and foe.   It blows where it chooses and many times adjustments have to be made to keep pace, conserve energy and finish strong.   Spirit in the Bible is ruach or wind.  Blowing wind has been used to describe the movement of God’s spirit.  Like the wind, the Spirit of God blows where it chooses and can seem, at varying times,  to be both friend and foe.   This is the season of shifting winds.  Day to day, the rising and falling temperatures are based largely on the direction of the wind.  Wind from the north brings cold artic air and lower temperatures.  Wind from the south brings warm gulf air and higher temperatures.   In the midst of shifting winds, storms often occur.  They do in our spiritual lives as well.  When the Spirit of God blows in one direction and we go in another, a spiritual storm can occur.  The storm, rather than the Spirit drives us.   As I run the race of life, how often do I run with the Spirit or against it?  How can my life consistently be spirit-driven rather than storm-driven?   Will this help me avoid, or at least, make it through, the storms of life?   Maybe on my next run, I’ll have more answers.