The Stall Warning
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” —Isaiah 5:21
Living in the United States right now feels a little like sitting in the cockpit of an airplane at the edge of a stall. Full power. Nose pitched too high. Airspeed dropping. Somewhere in the cabin of our shared democracy, the stall warning blares—urgent, insistent, almost too late.
In aviation, a power-on stall is most likely to occur during takeoff—when engines are roaring at full throttle, when the pilot is eager to climb, to ascend, to reach altitude. But in that moment of ambition, if the pitch is too steep, if the angle is too aggressive, the wings lose lift. The plane shudders. It can no longer rise. What once looked like acceleration now flirts with collapse.
That’s what this moment feels like in our nation.
The gears of power are grinding. Decisions are being made at breakneck speed. We’re testing every alliance, every constitutional norm, every safeguard meant to hold this fragile experiment together. Economic policies are throwing global markets into chaos. Basic human rights are being denied in the name of order. The systems groan under the strain. And still, we push the nose higher—clinging to dominance, velocity, the illusion of being in control.
But control is not capacity. And power, without humility, becomes danger.
The stall warning is not a failure—it’s an invitation. In aviation, when the warning sounds, a good pilot doesn’t grip the yoke tighter. They don’t pull harder. They lower the nose. They recover lift. They respect the air—its patterns, its limits, its wisdom. They remember the plane is not just a machine to be conquered, but a vessel that must work with the forces that surround it.
So too with a nation. So too with a soul.
When we ignore the signs—when we frame descent as failure, when we refuse to course correct because of pride—we move from stall to spin. Recovery from a spin is possible, but it takes skill, attention, and courage.
Maybe this is our stall warning.
Not just a technical glitch in governance, but a spiritual signal—a summons, even—for collective repentance. In the biblical imagination, repentance isn’t just confession or remorse. It’s metanoia—a turning, a reorientation of the heart and mind. It’s the moment the prodigal pauses, senses the hunger, and begins the long walk home.
Maybe our danger isn’t just in bad policy, but in disordered desire—the kind that believes power without humility will save us, or that dominance can substitute for discernment. The prophets knew this kind of moment. They warned leaders who amassed wealth and violence. They wept for people who “sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7). They pleaded for a return—not to the past, but to right relationship.
Maybe it’s not just about our leaders—it’s about all of us.
Can we listen? Can we turn? Can we recover lift—not through more thrust, but through rebalanced wisdom rooted in humility, justice, and the holy Spirit who brooded over chaos and still brings order out of wind?
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where in your life do you hear the “stall warning”? What signs—internal or external—might be asking you to adjust your course?
When have you mistaken pushing harder for leading more wisely? How do you discern when it’s time to pull back and realign?
What would it mean for you, in this moment, to recover lift—not through control, but through surrender, humility, and trust?
A Prayer for the Day
For the Moment Before the Descent
Holy One,
We are flying high and fast—
hearts clenched, knuckles white,
sensing the tremble beneath us.
We confess our addiction to altitude,
to power without pause,
to the illusion that more effort will keep us safe.
But You whisper to us
not from the noise of engines,
but from the silence of the wind.
Teach us to listen to the warning—not with panic,
but with presence.
Teach us to loosen our grip.
To lower the nose.
To trust that descent is not failure—
it’s wisdom.
It’s mercy.
Steady us as we realign.
Lift us as we recalibrate.
Remind us that true ascent
comes through humility, not dominance.
Through communion, not conquest.
We are not alone in the cockpit.
You are here—
in every draft of wind,
in every trembling moment of trust.
And for that,
we give thanks.
Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Rebalancing in the Winds
Today, take five minutes—preferably outside, or near a window—and simply feel the air around you. Notice its temperature, its movement, its weight on your skin. As you breathe, imagine the air not as empty space, but as a living presence that holds you.
Now, visualize an area of your life that feels out of balance—something that feels too driven, too anxious, too tilted forward. Inhale deeply. As you exhale, imagine loosening your grip. Not letting go of care—but letting go of control. Let your breath become your rudder.
Ask yourself: What is one small adjustment I could make today that honors alignment more than speed?
Maybe it’s a pause before reacting.
Maybe it’s stepping outside for a breath between meetings.
Maybe it’s asking for help, or offering it.
Fly loose today. Trust the Spirit to hold your lift.
There is wisdom in the wind.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
May 19-22, 2025 - Preaching and Worship FREE Online Summit: From war to genocide to a global climate crisis to a nation that perpetuates racism, misogyny, transphobia, and more from the highest office in the land, how do we prepare a sermon, a liturgy, a song, a prayer? Learn from some of our best preachers. REGISTER HERE.
June 4, 2025, 12pm ET - Jeff Chu has written a new book on a topic close to my heart: Soil! The title is “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand.” I am so pleased to be interviewing him. Together, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate “good soil” in our lives, our communities, and our spiritual practices. I hope you will register. Your registration includes a copy of his new book.
July 20-25, 2025 - The Art of Wilding: A 5-Day Expedition in Wyoming for Women Leaders. Click here to learn more. Only one spot left!
August 11, 2025, 2pm ET - Dr. Andrew Root and I will be hosting a 6 part series on Spirituality in the Secular Age based on his research. The dates are August 11, 18, September 8, 15, and October 6, 13. Mark your calendars! More on this soon.
September 4, 4:30pm ET - I will be collaborating with the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology to host a conversation with Thomas Jay Oord on Open and Relational theology. It’s a FREE event. Register here.
October 15-18, 2025 - Converging 2025: Sing Truth Conference (all musicians invited!) at Northwest Christian Church in Columbus, OH. Register here!
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The prophets pleaded for a return—not to the past, but to right relationship. Indeed we are neck deep in a spiritual crisis. Thanks for the clarity.