What’s the Weather Like?
“What’s the weather like?” is a question I ask a lot, especially during the hot Texas summer. I want to know which day might be best for being outside, or at least what time of day to go for a run. Knowing the conditions helps me decide what to wear, how long to stay out, and what to expect.
But this summer, during my renewal leave, I learned that question can also be about our well-being. One article I read described taking a daily “emotional weather report”—pausing to notice our mood and emotions. Is it partly sunny, cloudy, or stormy inside my soul today?
As part of renewal leave, I also took a “flourishing survey” that helped me look honestly at how I was doing. One part of the survey measured daily wellbeing. My results were interesting: my daily wellbeing came out “medium”—which means, like most people, I have good days and hard days. But in other areas—resilience, thriving, and authenticity—the scores were high. One of the lessons I took away is this: the day-to-day weather changes, but the roots have stayed strong.
This resonated with what I was hearing in my journaling and reflection upon John 15:5, where Jesus says: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” Those words have anchored me. They remind me that I don’t have to hold everything together on my own. My work is to abide—to stay connected to Christ—because the roots will do the holding when the winds and storms roll in.
Isn’t that a picture of life in Christ? We don’t flourish because everything is easy. We flourish because our roots run deep. Christ is the vine. God’s love and the presence of others keep us steady, even when the weather of life shifts suddenly. As John Wesley once said, “Best of all, God is with us.”
This summer I also learned about a simple practice called a “10-minute weather report.” The idea is to take ten minutes with a trusted friend and honestly share: What’s the weather in your soul today? Sunny? Cloudy? Stormy? The friend doesn’t need to fix anything—just listen. (It reminded me a lot of John Wesley’s instructions for his small groups, who regularly asked one another, “How is it with your soul?”)
This weather report is one way of carrying each other’s burdens, like we talked about in Sunday’s sermon. And it’s a reminder that we don’t have to carry them alone.
So here’s my encouragement for you this week:
Notice your weather. Be honest about what kind of day you’re having.
Stay rooted. Remember your worth and strength don’t come from the weather but from the Vine.
Try it. Take ten minutes with someone you trust and give each other permission to name what’s really going on.
Because flourishing isn’t about everything going perfectly. It’s about staying rooted in Christ, supported by community, and trusting that even when the storms roll in, the roots are enough.
And best of all—God is with us. Always.
With Gratitude,
Rev. Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC