“Mommy, why do you like gloomy days?” our 7-year-old, Kaleb,
asked me this afternoon.
“They’re relaxing,” I told him, gazing out of the window.
“I like sunny days,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because they’re not so loud. Gloomy days are loud,” he explained, expressing how he does not like the sound of thunder.
It’s mid-afternoon at the time of writing this post. But the overcast sky makes it appear to be early evening outdoors. My window is hiked open, so I can feel the cool breeze and hear the steady rain pounding against the pavement. The gentle rumbles of thunder, interspersed with occasional loud cracks, have alerted my city that a summer storm has made its way here.
Due to inclement weather, I received notice that a work-related project, originally scheduled for today, has been canceled.
Just like that, my plans were thwarted.
Oh well.
It’s one of those drab days, so I may as well kick back and relax, and wait until the storm passes over. How long will that take? I have no idea, since I have zero control over the weather.
Same goes for you. Certain things in life, just like the day’s forecast, are out of your hands. None of us gets to tell the wind when it can and can’t blow; the rain when it can and can’t fall; or the storm, when it can and can’t rage.
Things happen.
Sickness comes. Job positions get eliminated. Relationships crumble. Careers stall. Businesses fail. Things go wrong at the worst possible time. Life deals blow after blow.
Like steady rain, it all comes down so fast, you don’t have time to run for shelter.
You stand there, drenched and immersed in challenges. The storm cancels out your plans and you’re left trying to regroup, refocus and yet “rejoice in the Lord always,” as Philippians 4:4 commands.
It can be very difficult to handle.
Trust me, I know.
I could fill up several blog posts just listing out things that have gone wrong over the past month. But God has brought me through each test and I’m still standing.
You are too, inspite of it all.
So rest.
Know that every single person faces inevitable and unavoidable troubles. We don't get a choice in the matter. However, we can choose not to let the burdens of life hang like yolks about our necks, dragging our mood down, and pulling us into a deep slump.
Friend, don't let trials dictate your mental and spiritual well-being, otherwise, you will remain stuck in an endless cycle of up-and-down emotional extremes.
One day, when the sun is shining, you will be full of faith. The next day, when the sky turns dark and gray, you will be full of doubt.
We can’t live that way, despite what goes wrong.
Here's something I want you to do. If you have been going through a low point in your life, tell yourself, “My hope is not in the circumstance, but in the Lord over the circumstance.”
To remind you to rest in the Lord and place your trust in Him, I’m stirring Psalm 62:5 NIV into your cup of inspiration. It says, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.”
When you drink down the contents of your cup of inspiration, you will find peace, hope and comfort as you go through life’s challenges. You will remember that God’s presence does not always stop the storm, but provides shelter for us, while we’re going through it.
Now let’s pray.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
God, there are tests, trials and tribulations on every side, but my hope is in You. Even during my darkest days, I yet believe You have already given me the strength and grace to withstand life’s roughest challenges. I look to You right now, the author and finisher of my faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to stand in faith with you. I know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn how to submit your prayer request.
