by Anna Haiar
Sometimes The Clouds Don’t Lift
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”
2 Corinthians 4:8–9, English Standard Version
One of the things I love about Colorado is the summer weather. We can wake up to a bluebird morning, surrounded by mountains and sunshine. It’s perfect porch sitting weather. But by afternoon, we’re usually watching dark clouds roll in by afternoon. Rain falls, thunder rumbles, and sometimes hail pounds against the windows.
But here’s the thing about Colorado weather: the sunshine was never a guarantee that the storm wasn’t coming. And much like Colorado weather, sometimes everything seems to be going well when, suddenly, the clouds arrive: we receive a difficult phone call, take an unplanned detour, or encounter an unexpected loss. Enter in a season of uncertainty that we never saw coming. When those storms come, it can be tempting to wonder where God is. We may feel overwhelmed and confused. Knocked down, battered, and broken.
Scripture doesn’t tell us that following Christ means we will never experience those things. In fact, Paul says quite the opposite:
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:8–9, English Standard Version
I love the honesty of those words. Paul doesn’t say we won’t be troubled or perplexed or knocked down. He simply reminds us that those things don’t get the final word.
We may be pressed, but we are not crushed.
We may not understand, but we are not abandoned.
We may fall, but we are not destroyed.
Sometimes the clouds linger much longer than we would like and the storm is far more painful than we ever imagined. We may not even get to see the reason for the rain. But we can trust the One who remains with us through it.
So if life feels a little stormy right now, don’t feel guilty for acknowledging it. You don’t have to pretend the sky is blue when it isn’t. God is not frightened by your sorrow, your questions, or your uncertainty.
The sun will not always shine in Colorado.
And life will not always be sunny.
But even in the darkest clouds, we are not forsaken.
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
