The Twisters of Life

Life can be full of twists and turns, and like tornadoes, they can be very damaging (to the soul as much as it destroys the spirit).

And last Thursday, the 4th of July, Auckland was hit by one. The Fire Service has had eight call outs to the Botany Downs and Golflands areas since the strong gusts just before 4pm. Reports said that "Montecito Pl is the worst affected street, where nine homes with roof damage, mostly with tiles being lifted off the rooves."

This is not as bad as the twister that hit our lives, when immigration declined our application for a Permanent Resident visa. The sad news from the Immigration Officer crashed our spirits and if it were not for a strong network of families and friends, our hopes would have been totally gone.

Witnesses described the sound of the oncoming tornado as similar to that of an approaching train. A couple of hours earlier, a tornado has swept through three kilometers of New Plymouth's CBD, ripping off a roof, squashing cars, smashing windows and throwing debris around the city centre. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a rumbling, then said the sky went dark as the tornado swept in from the sea.

But life goes on, as they say. In fact, the New Plymouth District Council and emergency services had swung into action very swiftly. Already, less than two hours after the tornado, the streets were mostly clear. The Fire Service was doing all it could to help with the cleanup, all available police were on the streets diverting traffic around affected areas and ambulance staff were put on standby.

Indeed, we cannot afford to let these twists in our lives to dampen our spirits. Life must go on. After all, God is in control of everything, and His sovereignty ensures our safety and well-being. So, just as emergency services swung into action, we too, gather all our strength to cushion the impact of the sad news from NZIS (New Zealand Immigration Services). Their suggestion for an appeal, which would cost us $700 without a guarantee of approval, is not much of a relief, either. But God was even more efficient than the Fire Service and the District Council. He has provided us with people who help us out recover from the disastrous disapproval of our visa. Friends come to help and extend their support, be it financial or moral support.

Then at the end of the day, we say, God is so good. He provides us with all these twisters in our life, either to remind us of His sovereignty and that He is in control of everything, or to strengthen us for even more difficult trials ahead, and make us more and more like His Son, Jesus Christ.

I join James in saying

  ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

James1:2-4