Blogger’s note: I started this post several weeks ago and am back to it because this week has been much like that day…and I had the same thoughts but had not completed the post then. I hope you enjoy the two days’ thoughts combined into one post.
As I drove to court this morning in Duluth, MN, I listened to the news which included the weather. I did not need them to tell me that it was cold; that was quite clear to me as I sat in my car which was not quite warmed up. As they shared the forecast for the weekend and beyond, a thought occurred to me.
The weather always changes.
As I sat outside the courtroom (waiting is the best part of a court day), I scrolled through the Facebook posts since last night when I went to bed. I learned about my friend who is sick at home today, read some blog posts by people who are actually on top of their blogging efforts, and felt with my friend who struggles with depression and anxiety as he lamented his current mental state.
My response to him: Weather teaches us that things do not stay the same. Ever. The same is true with our own psyche.
As Minnesota opens its arms to welcome March, April, and May after a rather frigid winter, we are reminded that things rarely stay the same for long. Three months seems like a pretty long time when we are in the middle of it, but in the grand scheme of things that is just not true.
Seasons in our psyche are very similar to weather and often even follow the weather patterns themselves.
This is where I left off and am going to continue on from here…
I took this picture yesterday evening as I brainstormed about this post. Most of us had thought winter was over. In fact, today is the first day of spring. Apparently, someone did not notify the weather or the state of Minnesota that it should show off its greenery and stop with the snow. After it snowed overnight Sunday and continued into Monday, many of us clamored through a horrible commute to work. Schools to our west closed as blizzard conditions raged.
And today is the first day of spring?
Seasons in our psyche can do the same thing, right?
Just when we think some dark time in our lives has been cleared out for good, it comes raging back at us like a March blizzard in Minnesota (or North Dakota…or South Dakota, for that matter). We know in our hearts that the dark time should be gone. We have dealt with it, prayed it away, and have experienced forgiveness. And then something brings it back – a low front from the Rockies with a comma effect snow.
But – like my (real weather) blizzard on Monday – the dark time can be dispelled by a little sunlight. Following the low front of a weather system comes a high – bringing sunshine and warmth (although someone forgot to notify the weather of that as well – sunshine all day yesterday did not bring much warmth).
And what better light than the truth that God loves us?
I do not mean this is the “cheer up, pal, God loves you and everything will be alright” or “let the sunshine in; face it with a grin; smilers always win; and frowners never win” kind of rose-colored glasses sense. It is simply truth.
God loves us; that is light in our lives.
With Easter right around the corner, it is time for us to start to focus on re-birth – our re-birth. For though we were sinners and lost to that, but – because of what Christ did on the cross – we are freed from the guilt of our sins and have the right to be called children of God – heirs to heaven…and with the ability to have the gift of heaven here on Earth.
This is truth…regardless of today’s weather or circumstance. Whatever I experience inside my mind or outside in my day, the truth is truth.
Let’s hold to that today.
What is your experience with the weather inside of you?
slowingtheracingmind 