This past year was full of some amazing adventures and wonderful things that happened to me and my family. There have been numerous opportunities to see God’s beautiful creations and witness an outpouring of love from friends and family. But with those moments of joy also came profound sorrows. There were moments I didn’t feel God’s presence and I questioned His goodness. I found myself realizing that sometimes I have to choose to believe He is good and He is who He says He is. An active, cognitive choosing.
These lyrics give us a reminder that He is constant …
“In every valley, He has been faithful to provide
Even in shadows, He scatters darkness with His light
In every season, He has sustained me with His Word
And like a Good Shepherd, He leads me steady and secure
Oh, look what God has done
He’s been here all along
All through the changing of the tides
He’s been constant, He’s been kind
Oh, look what God has done
His love surrounding us
All through the fire and the flood
He’s always been enough”
(“Look What God Has Done” -Corey Voss, Madison Street Worship)
No one knows what the future holds. Most likely this year will be full of really good things paired with some really difficult things. I’ve never been able to believe those two can coexist:
Pain and joy, sorrow and rejoicing. I’m an all-in or all out kind of person. Things are either all bad or they’re all good. But I think in this last year I realized that’s not true – sorrow and joy do coexist. They have to. I hope we all can look back and see Him in our stories. The way He has woven things together in unimaginable ways. And I hope we can look ahead, with expectation of what He can and will do next.
I have recently experienced great joy and strong sorrow. But those experiences have taught me that though ‘… weeping may endure for a night… joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
What a great promise and soothing truth.
Gretchen Meyers
(inspired by Ann Elizabeth Mccreight)