Sunny in January

Thank God for a day that’s warm and sunny in January. Here in the Northeast we’re in our winter season. I’d like to delete all the cold, windy, dreary days from the calendar. Winter is like the trials we all go through. Wouldn’t you like to skip them too? Like today when I had to see the moving truck in my friend’s driveway. I hate saying good-bye.

            But calendars have winter months and our lives have times of trouble. Whether it’s a job loss or financial setback, a family crisis or sickness, sometimes we’re plunged into darkness. We feel alone, tired, distressed and looking for a way out of the mess. Could I please skip to another season, Lord? I’d love to be basking in the sunshine of good times instead of groping for a rope of hope.

            Then God slips in some summertime – an unexpected check or great job offer, an encouraging note or promise from God’s Word. We appreciate it more because of our need.

            I drove to the park to take advantage of the break between winter storms. Children were swinging and ducks squawking in melted pools of ice.  God tucked a sunny, forty degree day into January to remind us that …

Even in darkness [the winter seasons of life]

 light dawns for the upright,

for the gracious and compassionate

and righteous man. Psalm 112:4 (NIV)

What are your trying times? How about your "sunny" times?