Sunshine on Cloudy Days

Parenting struggles
Divorce and marital strain
Sickness and disease
Bad Accidents
Suicide
Unemployment
Stress
hopelessness/depression
grief


All of these and then some have all added up to TROUBLE with a capital T today. I became aware of all of these situations within 24 hours time. I was driving some scenic roads today and praying out to God the whole time. I was calling out to him as I drove, "Why is it God that this much hurt, pain, and suffering must occur on this earth?" It gets to me.

I did what I knew how to do, I prayed. I thought of the sermon on Sunday where we were reminded that the devil works hard to blow up trouble and make it so that God is no longer visible in our lives. Today the devil wanted me to only focus on all of the bad circumstances in life and not on the ways that God was working in and through those circumstances. Through my prayer, I was reminded that I am not meant to understand His ways, they are not like my own. I am meant to have faith and to to believe in a God that is good and that is Sovereign of ALL things. Just as that peaceful thought came to me, I happened to notice an inflatable yellow, smiling, sunshine hanging from a bare tree branch in the woods. I laughed out loud! The timing was perfect down to the very second. I would never expect to see such a thing in the middle of a wooded area in the fall! It was a hug from Jeremy and God. I smiled and opened my heart to another perspective. Believe in the sunshine, even when it is a cloudy day! It is always there... God is with us on the darkest of dark days, even when we cannot see him, and also in the moments when circumstances make it seem for sure that He is not there. Not only is He present but He is bigger than anything than I will ever know and bigger than anything that attempts to stand in my way of his loving embrace. I am a child of God.

The lyrics to a Casting Crowns Song have been on replay in my mind all day. This song is on my playlist at the bottom of this page.

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Bridge:
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.


I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.


I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
I am yours..
I am yours..

I prepare for bed tonight knowing of such pain in the hearts of many that I know and many more that I do not know personally. I will hope to rest knowing that although I may sleep, that God does not. He is awake and fully aware of each and every situation that weighs heavy on my heart tonight. I am trusting that He is working each and every situation for the greater good. I will close with a beautiful thought shared by my pastor at church this Sunday about stepping out of our comfort zones as we walk with God through the journey of life. "God, I am Yours, I have crossed, You take me through".

I pray that I awake tomorrow with renewed strength and peace in my heart. My hands will be outstretched for His and I plan to work harder to keep my vision focused on the cross and to be more present on my TRUST WALK.