High winds accompanied a storm that blew through our area. Some of the wind gusts reached sixty miles per hour. The trees were swaying back and forth and some branches were falling to the ground.

Looking at the trees, you had to wonder why they didn't end up blown over on to the ground. The key seemed to be that they were flexible — they could bend and sway in the breeze instead of break.

Life has its storms. Sometimes our circumstances are like the high winds threatening to harm and uproot us. Are we going to be flexible as we face these storms?

Sometimes things don't turn out like we had hoped they would. We may have had our heart set on something, and it didn't happen. Will we be flexible?

Let's admit that flexibility isn't easy. We only have to be flexible when things don't go our way or aren't on our time table. As the Wise One said, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick ..." (Proverbs 13:12). Flexibility means we're having to deal with problems. But the apostle Paul, who seemed to always find himself in the middle of problems, learned the secret of being flexible. He said:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:12).

Our flexibility allowed God to do even better things.
I have been on many short term missions trips. We always talk about being "flexible." We always have our trip mapped out, but often we have to change our plans. Being flexible was always critical on those trips. Often that flexibility provided wonderful new opportunities that we could never have imagined. More than responding to a problem, our flexibility allowed God to do even better things than we had planned.

The next time you experience one of life's storms, stay flexible. Like Paul, learn to be content whatever your circumstances. While your plans are changing because of life's storms, look for a new wonderful unexpected opportunity God has provided. God's gracious care and our flexibility can make our lives more productive and overflowing with God's joy. Let's be flexible.