Dear Father,
Our lives are like the seasons - ever changing. Sometimes one season folds gently into another, and we are hardly aware of the passage. At other times the seasons change with a fierceness that takes our breath away. Tumultuous winds and dark skies usher us into days where we long for just a brief glimpse of the sun. When it does break through the clouds, we take a furtive look over our shoulder - anticipating the next onslaught.
It has been one of those stormy seasons, Father, with scarcely enough time to catch our breath before the storm clouds reappear and obscure the light once again. I know You're there. If I could rise above the clouds, I would find you. But so often fear and discouragement tether me to the ground.
It comforts me to know, Lord Jesus, that none of this is unfamiliar to You. You walked this earth open-hearted and vulnerable to all the pain and sorrow and disappointment I experience. You came emptied of self, with the same resources You have made available to me.
I'm reminded of the gift when I see the evening sky painted with colors no artists' brush could recreate. When I cry, Your tears mingle with mine. When I am afraid, You give me Your peace. When everything seems only darkness, You give me hope. When I feel discouraged, You reach out to me.
The seasons are changing, Lord, and I trust in Your faithfulness.
"…weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
With love and hope,
Linda
