Ever go through those moments where it feels like life is this deep dark tunnel, and the light is so far away that you almost can’t see your way out? Like you know the light is at the end, and you can see a little glimpse of it, but between the hurt, stress, emotions and overwhelming weight-of- the-world-when-it-rains-it-pours feeling of your situation - reaching that light seems nearly impossible? Ever been there? Are you there right now?
I heard in a sermon recently that life is made up of storms; you’re either in one, you just got out of one, or you’re about to head into one. I think we can all agree that its kind of true. That’s where God’s promises step in.
This morning I experienced something I have never experienced before… I read about them, I talk about them, and I know they are true. If we can all be honest with ourselves, being a believer doesn’t necessarily mean that you never question God. Should we trust? Yes. Is he faithful? YES. I wish I could be 100% trusting 100% of the time, but depending on the size of my storm, sometimes It’s just hard.
This morning I literally saw God’s promises painted across the sky with the progression of the sunrise. Maybe I’m the only one that needed this drawn out for me in the beautiful way that God did, but I feel like someone else might need it too.
Life is hard. We lose loved ones. Friendships fall apart. Work gets crazy. The government shuts down. We lose our jobs. We have more month than money. Relationships crumble. People hurt our feelings. We get stressed out.
The list goes on.
It’s hard. And when it’s hard, it’s really easy to feel like the walls of that tunnel are crumbling in and the light at the end is getting further and further away. This morning God showed me that life with Him is the exact opposite. That if I rely on myself or the world to get me through my own hard times, that my tunnel will forever feel like it’s crumbling in, and my light will always feel lightyears away. But the sunrise I drove into this morning spoke nothing but promise.
God’s timing is perfect.
This morning I went in to work an hour early. Normally I get to catch the sunrise out my window while I’m getting ready, but this morning I was driving while it was rising. I got in my car, got on 288, and kind of in my selfish little funk thought to myself “the way it looks outside sure does match my mood.” It was dark and gloomy. I had my Christian music on but wasn’t really paying attention to it and was totally having a pity party (for no good reason).
Que the “picture” I keep referring to.
I merged off my exit, which kind of resembled that tunnel I keep describing, and I could just barely see a hint of pink between the gloominess of the clouds. I felt in that moment that God was trying to tell me that when I focus on my problems, or whatever I might be going through, all I will ever see is a dark, gloomy sky. But that even in the midst of whatever it is that I’m going through, God is still God. He’s still good. And he’s still faithful… the light in the darkness… the hint of pink between the ugly clouds.
Still driving.
The further I drove the more convicted I felt. The sunrise kept getting more and more beautiful and I almost felt bad for pointing out how ugly the sky was when I first got on the road. The clouds never went away, but the sunrise kept progressing. The more I focused on the beauty of the sunrise, the less I paid attention to the clouds. Music had been playing in my car this whole time, but in that moment it was like it had just started. The first words I heard were
“I look to you, I see the scars upon your hands and hold the truth that when I can’t you always can. And standing here beneath the shadow of the cross I’m overwhelmed that I keep finding open arms.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3bo7TUMsck – (click to hear the song)
I learned a lot in my 30 minute drive to work this morning.
Sometimes I look a lot like Peter did in Matthew chapter 14.
In verses 16-21, Jesus used 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish to feed 5,000 men, women and children and had 12 baskets of food leftover…
Miracle worker, faithful provider…
Then just a few verses later in Matthew 14:26-31 Peter was on a boat with the disciples, caught in the middle of a storm. He got out to walk to Jesus (who had JUST promised Him “do not be afraid, take courage, I am here”)… began to doubt and took His eyes off of the promise, paying attention more to the wind and the waves and began to sink…
God has proven himself faithful over and over again, and I look back on my 22 years and can see His hand in so many aspects of my life. Even times when I felt like I was in a crumbling tunnel, God used them for good. It was in some of my darkest moments when God showed Himself the most faithful. And still, I sometimes have trouble trusting. This morning was a beautiful reminder that with Him, not matter what my situation around me looks like, I’m always taken care of. If I focus on the clouds or the strong winds and waves around me, I will sink in them. But if I pay attention to the sunrise and the Promise, the clouds and the waves and the wind start to fade into the background.
I think we often rely too much on our own efforts to help us get through this crazy journey of life. There is a God who loves us more than we could ever fathom. He cares for us so deeply and just wants the opportunity to show himself faithful. If we’re always focusing on our own effort, we’re robbing Him of the opportunity to provide. Rest in His arms… focus on the sunrise… Hang on to the promises. You’ll get through this :)
Xoxo, Meg
