Oct 1

Oct 1 Through the Fog: Trusting the Heart of Jesus in Times of Uncertainty

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!

—1 Corinthians 13:12, The Message Version

For starters, I want you to envision something.

Imagine yourself on a long journey, leading you to a destination you deeply desire. You’ve seen highs and lows along the way: you’ve encountered peaks with breathtaking views and enjoyed them, while knowing the ultimate mountaintop is still a ways off. You’ve trudged through valleys you’re glad to be on the other side of… you have been through a lot.

And here you are, yet again: you’re in a valley… but this one isn’t like the others you’ve been to. This particular valley is drenched in the thickest fog you’ve ever seen. All you’re able to make out is the hand of your guide, holding fast to yours, leading you along. You’re immersed in fog so thick you can barely make out their face, but you’ve come to accept the fact that they’re your only hope of arriving safely to the next leg of your journey.

Some of you may already have an idea of where I’m heading with this little morning metaphor: Jesus is your guide. Eternal life with God (in all its beauty and perfection) is the destination. Peaks, of course, are the moments we are able to see with clarity where God has led us and the beauty he had in store for us all along the way. And the valleys? they represent the most trying moments of life. Valleys are often unpleasant, and are times in which we could easily lose perspective on where we’re headed. Fog adds to that confusion, clouding us from understanding exactly what God is doing.

Because we love bright and sunny clarity, don’t we? We feel safe when we can see clearly. And I hope you catch this: desiring clarity isn’t a bad thing.

I think it’s safe to say that God loves clarity too—there is a beautiful verse in Revelation that describes the eternal kingdom of God. This scripture tells us that there is never-ending light, produced by God himself:

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Revelation 21:23 NIV

What a thought to consider. No more darkness. No more fog. Only eternal, breathtaking, golden light. So often, my heart longs for this place. I truly believe that we reflect the image of God as his children when we long for this heavenly light. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

But on this side of eternity, while we are still subject to the day-and-night cycle, there can be a different kind of beauty seen as we trust Jesus to guide our steps through the dark gray valleys of life. In all the moments that clarity is lacking, faith has the opportunity to grow.

May we take heart in remembering this: faith grows in the gray.

It is by his extravagant love that God saw our sin, and the separation it caused from himself—the Light— and sent Jesus to atone for our every failure, producing in us the ability to gain access into this eternal kingdom. He wants light for us! And it is by faith that we attain that light eternally.

It’s by our faith in Jesus that we are saved forever. And as we trudge through the world, and all the darkness we wish we didn’t need to endure, we have the opportunity to remember with gladness that Jesus won’t stop being the way for us. (John 14:6)

He leads us through the gray. He leads us through the fog. He will take us into everlasting light. Read this stunning scripture below (beautiful in many versions, but I love how it’s paraphrased in The Message):

Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don't let go. John 6:37 MSG

He doesn’t let go. (Cue the crying face emoji!)

It’s by his heart that we can trust his hand. He holds us. And while we get to enjoy moments of sunny clarity along the way, we also get to trust in his grace to get us through the moments where we can’t see where we are going.

It is in these moments that we get to proclaim what we know to be true about Jesus—his love, his compassion, his gentleness—and cling to it with all our might.

In the times where your next steps feel unclear, may these truths about the heart of God sustain you, as you trustingly cling just a bit tighter to the hand of Jesus, the savior that has been so lovingly provided to us:

Five Truths for the One in the Valley:

He loves us, not just with an ordinary love, but with an extravagant love. Consider his heart towards you and allow it to produce in you a deeper trust in his faithful care. (1 John 3:1)
God is full of mercy. Mercy: the tendency to show compassion and forgiveness in circumstances where one has the power to harm or punish. He is merciful in his leading and instructing of you… he’s a gentle guide. (James 5:11)
God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. When we don’t understand what’s going on around us, we can humbly rest in knowing that God thinks through things in a way much greater than we ever could. Consider it this way: the leader we’ve been given is quite smart! And skillful. He knows the course (and knows us) better than we ever could. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
This will end well. In high times and low, we know God is working for our good and his glory. This story ends with Jesus coming back; the final chapter for all believers will be a beautiful one. (Romans 8:28)
Your trials are not without purpose. He is producing goodness in you, as well as shining through you for the glory of his name. Nothing is wasted. Again, he is kind in his dealings with you—merciful, compassionate, purposeful. And only he fully knows the greater heights waiting on the other side of the valley. (James 1:2-4)