God Shines Through The Mist

Floyd had lots of smiles for me this week, but the best thing was that he was so peaceful.  No distress at all.  The previous week he was so very miserable.  I played some encouraging testimonies for him, and then prayed with him - thanking the Lord for His goodness to us.

I’m so grateful for the prayers of many around the world, and the Lord’s answers… I have had an encouraging appointment with my doctor this week for my kidney.  After having been advised that I would probably need surgery, I'm so relieved that that is not the case!

When going through a trial or a time of suffering, it's very normal to have "good" days and to have "hard/not-so-good" days.  I think we expect it to be one or the other, but it's usually a combination of the two......and it shouldn't be a surprise to us that that's the case.

I'd love it to be all good days - or at least fairly good days.  When I have a good day, I want it to last and keep going.  I don't want the hard days to return.  At the very least, I wish I could plan for when they will each come.  But they are utterly unpredictable.  There's often no rhyme or reason to the one or the other.

The important thing to remember - the thing that helps me keep my equilibrium through the swinging back and forth - is that God doesn't change even though my days do.  He is solid, steady, safe, secure, unchanging, unmoving, always there, firm, and always available.  He is my anchor.  He is my sure foundation.  He is my Rock.

On the long unexpected journey I've been on, I've learned to recognize some of the "triggers" (both physically and emotionally) for the good days and hard days.  Especially when there is something that precedes a hard time, I can sometimes "catch" myself and run to the Lord to pre-empt the hard day.  But that's not always the case.

When a hard day comes, it's important to remind myself that it won't last forever.  Day and night both come around regularly - neither are permanent.  When the hard times, the dark nights, come I reach out for the light of the Spirit to drive away the shadows.  I proclaim the truths of who God is in the midst of the moonless night.  I worship Him for His goodness and faithfulness - even if I'm not feeling it at the moment.  My efforts at doing this - often feeble and weak - begin to get things back in perspective and help turn things around.

It's equally important on the good days to worship Him for who He is.  I don't take the good days for granted.  I express my gratitude.  I let my soul feast on the good things so that I'm filled up and ready for the hard things when they come back my way.  It's like reaping the harvest so that we're ready if famine comes.

Without His steadying hand it would be hard to walk through the yo-yo of good and hard days.  But He is by my side, and He keeps me firmly secure.

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."  Proverbs 18:10

"Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken."  Psalm 55:22

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice."  1 Peter 4:12,13

"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:9,10

I THANK Him on the good days - and I TRUST Him on the hard days.  He is faithful and unchanging on ALL my days!

We've had some unusual weather recently.  We've had thick mist all around us.  At times it's been so dense that we could only see a few feet in front of us.  Even the street right in front of our house had disappeared.  It felt like the world around us had evaporated,  and we were stranded on an island surrounded by this heavy, rolling mist.

As I sat looking at the waves of mist rushing by outside my window, I could suddenly see parallels to my life.  There are so many things in my life that seem shrouded in mist.  I don't know what the future holds.  I sometimes don't even understand what the day in front of me holds.  I don't know if God will heal Floyd or take him to heaven.  I don't know if I'm going to win the battle over my persistent, recurring cancer.  I don't know what will happen in regard to things that several family members are facing.  There is a lot of "mist" in my life.  When I look at all the things I'm facing, the mist seems so thick.  I sometimes feel encapsulated by it.

But there's an interesting thing about these misty days.  At some point the sun breaks through and sends the mist fleeing away.  It often happens mid-morning.......but some days not until the afternoon.  There have even been days when it's lingered the whole day.  But - at some point - the mist does disappear!

As I observed all this, thought about it, I could sense the sweet voice of the Spirit speaking into my heart that the "mist" in my life won't last forever.  He will send the sun of His Spirit to chase it away.  I don't know when that will happen - it could be soon or it could be weeks/months, even years, away.  But the "mist" isn't permanent.

As this revelation and understanding flooded my heart, I could feel the Lord ministering it to my soul.  He's in control.  It brought a sense of comfort, release, and relief to my heart.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?"  Psalm 27:1

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."  Psalm 46:1

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined."  Isaiah 9:2

Whatever mist we are facing in our lives, God will break through with rays of sunshine to help us, direct us, and chase the mist away.  He is always with us!  He is so faithful.