A Beacon of Light Piercing through the Dark Clouds Ahead
My hope is to always be positive and to give hope where hope has all but disappeared. That is why I speak of faith so often because with faith there is always hope and where there is hope we can persevere through long, tough times. Imagine if you lived in a region where the winters were long and fierce. You might be looking outside your window and see the snowflakes falling down fast and furious quickly drifting up mounds upon mounds made by the howling winds covering up everything sitting still. It would be nearly impossible to go outside into such a storm to do anything meaningful.
There are people who live in geographic areas like this all around the globe. Each year they have to anticipate and prepare for the long harsh winters. Even though some are worse than others, the one thing they all have in common is the fact that spring always follows. All that snow will melt as the sun breaks through the gloomy clouds of winter. Pretty soon you will hear the birds chirping, the honeybees buzzing, and all sorts of critters tussling about. Where there were gloom and doom the rites of spring take over and magically transform the entire atmosphere. No matter how tough the winters are spring will always follow. In a similar manner, faith is always there as a beacon of light shining through the storms of life after the chaos has passed.
So many of us have experienced torrential storms both literally and figuratively during our lifetimes. While going through them it is hard for our minds to glance forward toward better times because of the chaos in the pressing moments. When you get older and have gone through so many storms you learn the phrase, “this too shall pass.” In the back of your mind, you know this, but you still have to actually say it out loud because the mind tends to forget things when it is stuck in the panic mode.
Every year we have severe floods that destroy homes, crops, and even lives but after the water recedes life must continue on. Once the cleanup is done and we mourn for our suffering… one day you might look up when the sun is shining brightly… you take a deep breath and say, ‘thank you, Lord!’ Remembering how tough things were just a short while back makes you feel grateful that you made it through yet another tough one. The same is true during the tornado and hurricane seasons. Life can be really tough but storms pass and you have to pick up the pieces and carry on with your life.
It’s a pity that we cannot somehow transform ourselves ahead while we are going through those storms of life. But wait… with faith, you can. You can’t make the storms go away but you can tell the mind to be still because your soul somehow knows there is always a beacon of light at the end of the storms. With God in your life as your refuge in times of need, there is always a light that shines through the darkness.
I cannot begin to imagine the amount of pain and suffering each of you are experiencing right in this current moment. But… if you have faith you know that there is always light at the end of every tunnel. There is the brightest of all lights at the very end of life itself for those who live by faith. God has prepared the most illuminating of all lights for you as you enter through the vortex outside of His kingdom. Although such a thought is premature for most, this is the ultimate light at the end of our tunnels that takes us through the many storms of life. Not only do we know this in the back of our minds, it is also hidden in the depths of our hearts and souls so as we are going through the storms we can turn on our light of faith. As long as hope is alive we can persevere through the storm. Unfortunately, not everyone has this hope. Even the ones who have it might doubt themselves in moments while facing the eye of the storm.
The best of us are frightened by the fierceness of Mother Nature’s fury. It is only natural to be afraid in the face of her power. However, for those who live by faith eventually, a quiet still voice will whisper to them telling them to hold on because this too shall pass. “And lo, I am with you in the midst of your suffering, even until the end of times.”
When I speak about faith, hope, and perseverance it is not just hypothetical chatter. It is the very substance of the things we hope for, the evidence of things not seen. Those who have it know it to be true. They know just how precious this substance is to them. Unfortunately, you cannot share your faith with anyone to the point that they can rely upon what you have. Amazingly faith usually comes after life has tossed you around a time or two. As much as we hate it while it is happening, we should be equally as grateful for God teaching and protecting us as we gain His wisdom.
Right now, for the first time in our lifetime, it appears that the entire world is facing a once-in-a-century storm of gigantic proportions. Many will not make it through these times and many more will endure with the wisdom that only comes from God. The question becomes, will we remember what we learned and stay near to God or will we allow the following good times to wash away the memory of how God stood in front of you as the storm was passing? Considering such a storm may not happen again for perhaps another century, what a shame it would be not to have learned the lesson.
To my brothers and sisters from all around the world, we have a refuge in times of great need. We have a God that watches over His children assuring them that His light is always shining through the darkness no matter how dark it gets. Will you remember the last great storm that you passed through? Will you remain grateful to God for what He has done and continue to do for you? Our Father wants us to know that no matter what storms life throws at you, He is your provider and protector. Psalms 18:1–3
“I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.” Selah!
