Gray Days

It's been a particularly cold, gray winter. Brief warm, blue skies teased my sunshine-loving soul, but I can't take much more. I want some consistent sunshine. I don't have an official seasonal depression diagnosis, but I struggle. Add to that the vines of menopause creeping closer to entangle me and I'm easily singing the blues.But I heard someone say recently that there is always blue sky. Clouds roll in to obscure our view of it, sometimes gray and gloomy, at other times dark and threatening, but clouds don't stay forever. The dreary clouds are temporary, but the sun in its vast expanse of clear blue is a constant.We just have to look hard, to train our eyes to see through the overcast and into the overwhelming promise of hope we have in Christ. We have to train our minds to remember what is true. The winter will turn to spring, the dreary skies will clear and we will feel the sun on our faces again.For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18Whether your'e in the midst of the dirty diapers and no sleep season, thinking, "Will I ever sleep through the night again?",  struggling through homework with your child with learning disabilities, working your way through night school as a single parent, healing from the pain of divorce wondering if you will ever smile again, there is blue sky up there sweet friend!Hope. Sweet hope.I sometimes struggle with times of mild depression, feeling like I'm living the same gray day over and over. I have to remind myself that the clouds will part and the sun will shine warm on me again. My overcast soul will feel joy again. Right now, our oldest daughter is overseas. I haven't seen her in almost seven months. Some days are hard and I remind myself that it's only temporary. Hope is shining on the path ahead.

How can we hang on to hope on the dreary days?

When the rain has fallen for what seems like an eternity, and our souls seem to be withering, we can look straight through the clouds and know that  blue is there on the other side. Winds of mercy will blow the clouds away in time.

Remember truth

We are living a temporary life on a temporary planet. Our real home is in heaven and it is eternal. This world will pass away and God will triumphantly create a new Earth. We are not home yet and he is not done yet. Watch the clouds move across the sky and imagine the breath of God blowing them away. They're moving. He's working.I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

Find Community

So many times, hope finds its way to us through community. Being with others who share the same hope is a good thing. Recently I cried into my cup of coffee with a couple of girls who reminded me of God's plan for me, for his gift in me, for my future with Him. A much better choice than crying alone in my room. Again. There are moments when we need to hear the voice of another speaking hope into us. So let someone in today. Cry over some coffee or some french fries together and remind one another that blue skies are there.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down,   one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Make yourself at home in Christ

When we are walking closely with Jesus, it's amazing how he can change our perspective. It may not happen in an instant, but it might. We may be in a waiting period as we learn to trust him more deeply, but our greatest chance of finding hope in a storm is him. He is our hope.He is our hope and our joy. His grace is a gift that will one day blow away every cloud, wipe away every tear, and set it all right. He is our victory.So cling to him through all of it, the sunshine and the rain. Carry on an ongoing conversation, read his Word to you. Study his promises. Listen to his Spirit guiding you.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. John 15:4

If not now, later.

I am not going to be Pollyanna here. There are clouds that may not move this side of heaven. There are struggles that will not be resolved while we are walking on this planet, but let me remind you how big God's sky is. No cloud can cover it all. No trial in this life is greater than our God.His blue sky hope is there but we may have to readjust our focus. No matter how tough today might be, there is evidence of his love shining through. We have the promise of eternity with him, where his face will light up heaven- no sun needed. Don't worry, the clouds will part. We have his word on that.Just because we can't see the blue sky doesn't mean it's not there.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1