Most of life most of the time can be filtered down into two categories. Good & bad. Emotions and complexities that come our way at times can cloud our view of the good that comes our way and remains with us even through our trouble. Most of my life i remember things coming my way and reflecting later on on the tragedy that was or is or is to come. Like a dark cloud that hovered over my head even in the midst of the good times. When the good came I rejoiced but even in the midst of it I braced myself for the bad that I knew lurked around the corner. To me, God was shifty. If i did well in my christian walk with God then I would be blessed by him on the basis of my behavior but if somehow i did not meet up to every criterion then watch out! Evil was soon to come and overtake my life. One tragedy after another was my expectation. Today, while looking at a picture I took a few weeks back I was reminded of this perspective. The picture is that of a window with droplets of rain on it.
Simply looking at this image and others similar to it has always evoked many different emotions in me. The rain represents the inclement circumstances that come into life on one hand but on the other hand is the bounty of heaven that nourishes true growth. it depends on perspective. For so many years the first paradigm was all that I clung to even as a I became aware of the second paradigm. To be a prisoner of hope requires that we have an abiding faith that believes for the best even in the midst of what looks like the worst. When we are blind to what God is doing in the present moment and how everything will work out in the final analysis we must realize and depend on the fact that we have a good Father who loves us and works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He is not sleeping but very much aware of our hurts, pains, needs , wants & desires. To reset our view we must get a view of what Jason calls the “Age old truith” – we are not alone! God is a very present help in the midst of the rain. He is our sun. Soon enough we will begin to see that the even the rain is a forerunner to the sun. Further, that the rain is just another way the Son will reveal Himself to us and put us in awe of Himself.