In nature, trees that grow
up in a windy environment become stronger. As winds whip around a young
sapling, forces inside the tree do two things. First, they stimulate the
roots to grow faster and spread farther. Second, the forces
in the tree start creating cell
structures that actually make the trunk and
branches thicker and more flexible to the
pressure of the wind. These stronger
roots and branches protect the tree from winds
that are sure to return. My young friends,
the world will not glide calmly toward the
Second Coming of the Savior. The scriptures declare that "all
things shall be in commotion." More concerning than the
prophesied earthquakes and wars are the spiritual
whirlwinds that can uproot you from your
spiritual foundations and land your spirit in places
you never imagined possible, sometimes without your
hardly noticing that you have been moved. The worst whirlwinds are the
temptations of the adversary. Sin always has been and always
will be a part of this world. But it has never been so
accessible, insatiable, and acceptable. There is, of course,
a powerful force that will subdue the winds of sin. It is called repentance. How do you prepare
for your whirlwinds? "Remember ... it is upon the rock of our
Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye
must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send
forth his mighty winds, ... his shafts in the whirlwind, ... when all his hail and his mighty
storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power ... to drag you down ... because of the rock upon
which ye are built." This is your safety
in the whirlwind.