The clouds that stole my sun

A long weekend in California with a dear friend.  We were so excited to be heading to sunshine and a Joyce Meyer conference.The clouds were thick and the air was cold when we landed in Sacramento.The whole weekend was chilly and overcast.  I was really disappointed.  I needed that sunshine.  I needed to be warm. I needed wide open skies.But the sun was not there.  And it made me feel blue.  The same blues I get stuck in during the long annual cloudy and dreary stretch of Fall, Winter and Spring.- - -Our time with Joycie (as we love to call her) was awesome.  I'm not a groupie per se but I am a huge fan of the way she speak God's Word without shyness.  She pulls no punches.  She speaks my language.Our girlfriend time together was good.  We talked about everything and anything.  We laughed a lot.  We drank a lot of coffee and ate at some really fun places.  (Including Fanny Ann's in Old Sacramento. Anyone else use the wrong bathroom there?  HA!)  We also talked about some difficult things.  I often think back over our conversations from that weekend.  I learned a lot about myself and about friendship.Our serendipitous ministry time was incredible.  We ended up in some extraordinary conversations with people.  God spoke through us in power.  I'll never forget the opportunities my dear friend and I embraced that weekend.  The whole weekend seemed like a hand-crafted gift from God.  It was really special.But there was an unfulfilled hope.  The sunshine never showed up.  The cold air made my skin so dry. The brown flat landscape drained my spirit. The clouds depressed my heart.  I was glad it was time to go home.- - -We innocently chatted with the friendly airline ticketing agent. He told us our seats needed to be changed and winked as he gave us our boarding passes.With pre-flight snacks and drinks in hand, we relaxed into our undeserved first class seats and prepared for take-off.  I love that rush.  Taking off and landing are my favorite parts of flying. Up and up we went.  Through the clouds.  Layer upon layer of thickness.Bright and hot, the intense California sun surged through the window.My weekend had been dark and cold.  It seemed like the sun was absent.  But my view was not truth.  My view was a small, limited perspective.The truth is the sun had been there.  The circumstances made me doubt it but circumstances cannot change what is true.The sun shines.  Whether I can see it or not.The comforting metaphor was the perfect ending to a special weekend away.God is constant.  He is there.  His power unchanging.  His love never-failing.  The things that cloud my view are not truth.

So God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence. This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. (Hebrews 6:18-19)

How are you? Are there clouds stealing your sun today? Has there been a time when God spoke to you personally about His constancy and power?  I'd love to hear your stories.Want to read through the Bible with me?  Today's readings: Psalm 25; Luke 12:35-59