I was on my way home from my church one day this week and the sky was filled with gray clouds. It has rained A LOT in my area for the last two months. This is not usual for our part of the south, yet it was about to be another rainy day. The sky was so gray, but right in the middle of the sky above me was a small opening revealing bright blue sky. In the midst of the gray clouds was this beautiful spot of sky-blue peeking through.
I kept glancing up at it, fascinated by this bit of beauty peeking through the gray skies. It reminded me that no matter how dim things may seem, there is something beautiful if you look for it. No matter how gray the clouds may be, there is some bright spot if you look hard enough to find it. If you’ve read very many of my blogs, you know I am a firm believer in intentional gratitude. I keep a daily gratitude journal to record the things I am grateful for.
I started this habit after being given a journal by my friend Patti who was inspired by Ann Voskamp’s 1,000 Gifts. I am currently over 21,600 and counting. I assure you, dear heart, if you look for it, you will find something to be grateful for. If you look past the “gray clouds” you will find the bright spot. Somewhere beyond the clouds, the sun is still shining. You just have to make sure you are looking for the moments when its beauty shines through.
It can be so easy to get lost in the gray rainclouds and we forget that the sun is still shining. This is why we have to be intentional about looking for the light to peek through. We have to keep looking for the sun to shine through and pierce through the gray days. My friend and fellow author Shannon Leach talks about this a lot. She inspires others to “find the light” and I am always encouraged by the things she shares. (Find out more on her website arepurposedheart.com)
I thought of her as I began writing about how I had been given the glimpse of light in the middle of the gray skies. As a fellow follower of The Light, I knew she would have enjoyed the moment as much as I did. We’ve both known what it is like to struggle through the darkness and have His light shine into our hearts and lives. We who have known the struggle of walking through the gray clouds, have a deep appreciation for the Light.
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, ‘I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life’” John 8:12. Dear heart, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you have His light. You will never again walk in complete darkness. No matter how gray the skies may seem, there is light. There is hope because you are never alone. You are walking with The Light and He is ever at your side.
Whatever the skies look like in your life right now, there is still some light to be found. There is still some beauty shining through if you will look for it. It may be hard to find, but it is there. Keep looking up, my friend, and you will find it. “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus…” Hebrews 12:2a. Keep looking to Jesus and He will help you keep pressing on and He will help you find the light. “You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light” Psalm 18:28.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
Katrina Douglas
