Corona Devo 1154

The Spring is bringing wet, soggy days and bright, promising ones too--and I'm not just talking about the weather.  

Our minds and our spirits can get dampened too.  The clouds of worry, stress and fear can hover over us, darkening our temperament, and our clarity too.  The rains of pain, anxiety and sorrow can soak us to the bone some days.  Not to mention downpours of depression and even paranoia, with and without indication or cause.  And then, even after the waters of trauma recede, that sogginess still sits within us.  

Yes--the showers and storms of life can water-log our hearts and faith, and leave us in shambles.  

The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.  (20) I will never forget this awful time...  

(21) Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: (22) The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  (23) Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.  

(24) I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”  (25) The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.  (26) So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.  ~Lamentations 3:19-26

~~~

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. ~Psalm 34:18

~~~

Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. ~Psalm 30:5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes--the rains come, water-logging our hearts and faith---But the sun shines again!  It always does, and always has...and always will.  

If we are buried right now--take heart in knowing that the sun always comes back out, and the Son (of God--Jesus) will reappear in our lives.  God will never abandon us, regardless of how many times we abandon Him.  

The clouds may be covering us today, but the sun will come back into view.  There's no stopping it, there's no stopping GOD(!), and there's no denying it--even when we can't see Him in our current moment...He's with us.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. ~Isaiah 43:2

~~~

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (17) For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (18) 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 4:16-18

~~~

The Lord is near. (6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:5-7

~~~~~~~~

And maybe today, we feel the sun!  The chill is coming out of our bones and the tingle of life is returning!  

I love those days!  I cherish those days.  God is right where He has always been: beside us, in front of us, behind us, within us, but today---we sense Him.  We feel Him.  We are comforted by Him and we are aware of His palpable presence.  The Son is shining today!

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  (2) He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (3) He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. (4) Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord...  ~Psalm 40:1-4 

~~~

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you.  You will see your teacher with your own eyes.  (21) Your own ears will hear him.  Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.  ~Isaiah 30:20-21

~~~

The Spring (and life) brings wet, soggy days that can soak and shrivel us.  

But (Take heart!) bright, promising days are always coming, and while we might know that God is with us in the sun, remember that He is also ever-present with us in the storm as well.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33

~~~

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~Romans 8:28

~~~~~

And (believe it or not), the soggy days (and monsoon seasons!) of life are just as imperative to building-up our faith and strength in the Lord as the we-have-to-squint-from-the-sun, and I-can't-stop-smiling-days.

Just as Spring wouldn't be Spring without the temperature and precipitation fluctuations, it takes both.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ~I Peter 1:6-7

We are never alone.  May the Son shine in your heart and day today.  The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation (Psalm 118:14). 

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com