One weekend, I was traveling with some people on a chartered bus. As we were en route to our destination, I found myself staring into the sky and looking at the clouds. The majority of the weekend had been overcast with hints of sporadic blue skies. I saw stratus clouds higher up and huge, white cumulonimbus clouds in the middle of the sky. There were also rain clouds that were very dark and weighted down with water much closer to the earth. I thought about how on overcast days we say that the sky is gray. Of course, we know that it’s not the sky that is gray, but the clouds have covered the sky so evenly and thick that it appears to be gray. That means that the sky is always blue. Being an analytical person, I considered that the sky is not always blue because sometimes it’s red, orange, and other colors. I thought some more about it and concluded that the “colored” skies are not real. The colors come from various reflections of the sun and other particles in the air. Therefore, the sky is technically always blue.
I was very encouraged by this, and I hope that you are as well. I mentioned that the dark clouds are heavier than the rest and appeared to be closer to the earth. The low times and dark periods of our lives are temporary. The things that weigh us down seem to be unbearable at the time. But, if you would only press through them as an airplane does when it ascends above the clouds to get to the blue, clear sky, you will see very soon that better days are ahead and do exist. Flying in the rain is a very cool experience to me. During takeoff, it’s raining, the sky “is” gray, and at first it doesn’t seem like such a good idea. But, the plane keeps ascending. As you’re flying through the clouds, you can’t see anything. Sometimes there is turbulence, but the plane keeps ascending. Then, finally…the plane breaks through the clouds, and the dark, turbulent gloom and doom is now underneath you! The sky is clear and blue, the sun is out, and those dark clouds are now white and fluffy like a giant pillow top mattress. You swear that if you could get out of plane you would be able to walk on them. The brighter days are always around, but the bad times cloud them out. You have to keep in mind that behind the unemployment, financial distress, relational distress, marital discord, health challenges, and the like, there is abundance, peace, security, rest, and joy. These things are temporary. It may seem like they go on forever, but remember that there ARE better days to come. The sky is NOT gray…the dark clouds of life and negative thoughts are just clouding your vision right now. THE SKY IS ALWAYS BLUE! Don’t let life get you down! There is NOTHING that you are going through that God does not see and will not see you through if you are faithful to Him. Keep pressing! Keep moving! Stay focused! Don’t listen to the negative! The sky is ALWAYS blue!
Romans 5:3, 4 (NLT)
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”
James 1:2-4 (MSG)
“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”