Yesterday it rained; actually it poured.
The skies were overcast much of the day. There’s been a lot of rain lately, in
fact, record levels. It is dismal looking and depressing for many people. Today
it is blue skies with big, white, puffy clouds scattered amidst the blue. The
various greens of the trees and brown branches contrast outside of the window
beckoning me to come and spend time outside. Perhaps I will…
Our lives are not much different than the
weather. Days with rain, seasons of rain that can bring us down if we focus to
much on our dismal surroundings, contrasted with days of blue skies and warmth
that for some of us seem to be very few and far between. It is difficult to
continue on when we know the ‘weather’ will turn again. We pray for better
weather, but sometimes it does not come and we get discouraged. We want to give
up. Will sunshine ever return???
One time I read a friend’s testimony which
began by saying (something like) it had been smooth sailing most of her life up
until a few years beforehand. Immediately, there was a flinch in my stomach
(jealousy) and a part of me wanted to scream in frustration as the realization
hit that my life seemed more like 35+ dismal years with just a few clear, happy
days. Why me?
Just as quickly I remembered the goodness
of God through it all and how I loved my life with Him and wouldn’t change it
for the world. See, it took all those gloomy days to bring me to this
particular place in life- real and exciting life- with Him. (Why so long?
Perhaps it is my stubbornness…) But I finally realize that whether we are
Christians or not, some days it sprinkles, some days it pours, some days it’s
too cold and others too hot; many days are simply boring or unremarkable; life
continues at its own pace and I can’t stop it. The only thing I can do is
change my response to it.
I’d love to say I follow my own hard
learned wisdom every time things go poorly, but the truth is that I still throw
myself pity parties now and then. Wake up, body hurting, head pounding, friends
call needing uplifting, husband cranky, nothing at the store you wanted, car
breaks down, tow truck is late, house filthy, roof leaking, bathroom walls held
together by duck tape and tarp, bills looming with not enough pay to cover it,
being pulled in 20 directions, everyone looking to you for answers except your
teens who think you know nothing, overwhelmed… Get the picture? I’ve been
there, done that, and only by God’s grace, survived. Now it seems more often I
remember…
Facing pain, torment, possible death,
disease, violence or abuse, job loss, or the innumerable awful things that can
face you in life can seem impossible, and just may be IF a person is
alone, but I am NOT alone for God is with me: every second, hour,
day week, month, year, decade to forever. I don’t have to be alone again. I
don’t have to walk alone again. I don’t have to face the storms of life alone
ever again. And even on my pity party days, the Lord is awaiting me with open arms
seeking to let me in. I choose to face dismal days with my Love, my Lord and
Savior!
And as for those times I forget, mire in
the muck or get disappointed with Your decision to allow these trials in my
life, I ask that You remind me of all the good You do, all I have learned and all that has come from the bad so that my stay in misery would be shorter each
time until I face every new storm arm in arm with You in strength and victory.
Let me stand with You, facing the storm yelling, ‘Here I am! You can’t take me
down ‘cause I am NOT alone!’
Jesus said,
...lo, I am with you always*, even
unto the end* of the world*.
Amen.
Mt. 28:20
*G3956, G2250- each, every,
whole: day, time period
*G4930- completion, consummation,
end
*G165- for ever, an unbroken age,
eternity
