Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. After a few gloomy days of rain, the Lord woke up the world this morning with a sunrise so beautiful it defies words. I met with the One who died for me just as the sun was beginning to rise, and I opened His Word with an open Heart ready to learn and grow. Sometimes it’s not easy to be shown the error of my ways directly from the Living God, but if I’m open to being all that He Created me to be then I’m open to Heavenly Correction. It’s uncomfortable to be Stretched beyond what I think I can bear but if I’m open to being all that He Created me to be then I’m open to being Spiritually Stretched for Kingdom Work. The Journey of Faith is a lot like the weather. Gloomy days will come and go because they serve a good purpose in the growth process…and the same is true for me. Sometimes the rain falls and the skies are gray because it Serves a Good Purpose in my Growth Process. Just when you think you can’t stand another gloomy day, God lights up the sky with His Glory. Isn’t that the way it is in the Journey of Faith for you too?

Life doesn’t have to be off-kilter for people of Faith to experience gloom. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason for what the Heart feels at all and it doesn’t serve much purpose to look at life with a microscope to figure out what’s “wrong.” Instead, when the clouds roll in and the gloom shows up, the only way to turn things around is to Fight what’s behind the gloom. There is an enemy with firey darts armed and ready to discourage God’s people and I have to believe he does a “happy dance” when he succeeds. The Bible says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” so when he shows up with doom and gloom the only way to find Peace is to Fight him like the thief he is instead of turning to outward circumstances to blame. Jesus also said, I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness” – gloom has no place in a full Life. The Perfect One doesn’t want His people downcast. The Savior of the world doesn’t want His people to feel oppressed or depressed. The Great Physician doesn’t want His people sick. The Lamb doesn’t want His people to feel weary. The Great I am doesn’t want His people to feel lonely. When we remember that, we turn our eyes toward Jesus “and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

I am an Ambassador for Jesus Christ and nothing could make the thief happier than to defeat me…but I’m unstoppable because I turn my eyes toward Jesus. I am a Warrior in the Lord’s Army and I experience firey darts often…but my Faith is unshakable and I know the “strategies” of the thief. So, day after day, fight or no fight, I find my Perfect Joy as a Servant of the Perfect One and I send the darts back to Hell like spiritual boomerangs…”return to sender.” The more “gloom” I face, the Stronger my Armor becomes and each day brings me closer to Perfect Peace ONLY possible with the Perfect One. Morning by morning new mercies I see and God lights up my world with His Glory day after day…rain or shine.

How about you?