Cloudy with a Chance of Hope
Have you ever been leery of the dark clouds of life? The overcast of some events, people, or situations that seem to suck the joy and fun out of the good things happening in your life. These events we either fight hard to avoid despite their inevitably, or we dread and just try to survive through, moment by moment, day by day. I know I have. The gloomy cloud of life finds their way into the crevices of my mind seeking to instill fear, doubt, anxiety and worry. Even the ever-so insidious, “what if” thoughts find their way over the brightness of my life attempting to cast a shadow, blinding me from seeing the light that is present. What if I told you that the dark cloud isn’t anything to fear but rather an opportunity for the most transformative light?
Very recently, I read Numbers 9:15-23, this passage tells of a cloud that represented the guidance of the Israelites, made by God. The passage shares that at night, the cloud will appear as a fire, providing light (and possibly warmth). When the cloud moved, the people moved, and when the cloud stopped, there the people camped. I was moved by the Israelites’ obedience and faithfulness to God, as this is the kind of commitment to Jesus I aspire to; one where I move boldly when He tells me to, and where I don’t move, learning to rest and steward where I am until He moves.
Shortly after reading this, I decided to go for a jog. It was cloudy outside, and generally, this deters me but since I haven’t been in a while, I decided to brave it. About 35 minutes in, I looked up towards the gloomy sky and deep within my soul, I heard the Spirit of God speak,
“See, you don’t have to be afraid of the cloudiness. For I am also there to guide and protect you.”
This promise of God’s protection is what I leave with you. When there is an overcast in your life, seek The Lord continually and there you will find His presence appearing like a fire, providing you with light and warmth to sustain you. With the Lord as the determiner of our light and our overcast, we can rest in His protection. I realized there are times where I even need his protection from the light, that is, when things are going great, I tend to stray from or forget God and only focus on the things, not the Savior. Prompting an overcast to remind me that I need Him and should always keep my gaze towards Him, day and night.
If you are hurting, confused, lost, lacking direction, overwhelmed, weary, battling feelings of anxiety or worry, whatever your overcast may be, seek The Lord and ask Him to reveal Himself to you in the clouds. You guys…
There is His Beauty in the Overcast!
Take refuge in Him never leaving or forsaking you. Where you are, He is with you (Matthew 28:20). During the day (seasons of joy) and during the nights (seasons of trials and tribulations), He is with you providing light, ready to move and guide you at any moment. Will you follow? Will you seek for Jesus during the nights of your life and allow yourself to be comforted by His warmth, shelter and light that may only go so far for the moment but once surrendered you understand is more than enough?
I encourage you friends, do not let the clouds deter you from running towards our Savior. Don’t let the glooms of life keep you from remembering the very much goodness of Jesus that is still present. Look towards the cloud and allow yourself to be reignited with the hope of the Lord piercing through.
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”- Psalm 43:5
