Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you that I love being outside. Sunset and sunrise are my two favorite times of the day, and the camera roll on my phone is filled with countless blurry pictures of the sky that I tried—and failed—to capture while driving. 

The other morning when I woke up, I rose to open my curtains, and I beheld God’s beautiful artwork for the day. The sky was made up of the perfect combination of clouds and sun; it was truly breathtaking. It was mostly an overcast, gray day, except in the distance the sky parted slightly to reveal a lightly tinted, scarlet color. And scattered across God’s masterpiece were sizeable, fluffy, cumulus clouds that added more dimension to the world than I ever thought possible. There were lots of gray clouds in the sky that morning, yet they did not in any way diminish the beauty of the Lord’s morning creation. And as I drove to the gym, I continued to be awestruck by the glory of the sky.

Later, when I had returned home, the day had become a bit more gray and a bit less scarlet outside. However, as I walked back over to my window to look out onto the street, for a brief moment, the clouds opened up and light poured down on me. It is moments like these where the Spirit really fills the body. It provided a much-needed feeling of comfort, safety, and warmth on what had become a cold, dreary day.

But sometimes in life we don’t always feel these moments. Sometimes we look outside at the gray sky only to see how dark the world has become, and we pray for a moment for the clouds to open up so that we can feel God’s warmth touch us. Or on rainy days, when the chaos of the weather nearly matches the chaos of the world, it is normal to pray that the winds and rain will dissipate and allow for sunshine to be let back in. When those clouds are overwhelmingly large and completely block out the view of the sun, it is easy to feel alone. 

But I have a question for you…when you go outside on days when you can’t find the sun, are you unable to see? Is the world pitch black, even blocking the view of your hand in front of you? Does a little rain totally eclipse the sun, preventing you from driving to the grocery store to pick up some chicken for dinner? Or is there enough sunlight somehow finding its way through the harsh, cloudy sky to guide you through your day regardless?

In gloomy moments such as these, we must remember who this light is that leads us safely through our day; the true light: Jesus (John 1:9). It doesn’t matter how much rain clogs our storm drains or how many clouds attempt to block out the sunlight from reaching us…the light we need to get us through the day is still there, shining through. 

And even though we might pray for a sunny day or for a moment where the sky opens up and the Spirit pours down on us, the Lord made a covenant with us through the clouds. And without those clouds, we would never experience the beauty of His rainbows (Genesis 9:13-14). No matter how much it rains, no flood will be able to destroy us (Genesis 9:15). The light will never be completely out of reach and the day is still ours, for He has prepared it for us (Psalm 74:16).

On those days when the weather feels too harsh to even journey out of the comfort of your home, do not worry about your house being too dark to be able to see clearly; seek first righteousness instead, and the Lord will provide His light (Matthew 6:33). 

So, the next time it rains, curl up under a nice blanket, make some warm tea, and allow God’s Word to be a lamp to light your path as you wait for the storms to clear up outside.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.