During a holiday in October, another battle with chronic pain forced me to spend the first few days recovering in our room. My mood became as overcast as the sky. When I finally ventured out to enjoy sightseeing at a nearby lighthouse with my husband, grey clouds blocked much of our view. Still, I snapped a few photos of the shadowy mountains and dull horizon.
Later, disappointed because a downpour tucked us in for the night, I skimmed through our digital pictures. Gasping, I handed my husband the camera. “A rainbow!” Focused on the gloominess earlier, I’d missed out on God refreshing my weary spirit with the unexpected glimpse of hope (Genesis 9:13–16).
Physical or emotional suffering can often drag us down into the depths of despair. Desperate for refreshment, we thirst for reminders of God’s constant presence and infinite power (Psalm 42:1–3). As we recall the countless times God has come through for us and for others in the past, we can trust that our hope is secured in Him no matter how downcast we feel in the moment (vv. 4–6).
When bad attitudes or difficult circumstances dim our vision, God invites us to call on Him, read the Bible and trust His faithfulness (vv. 7–11). As we seek God, we can rely on Him to help us spot rainbows of hope arched over the darkest days.
By Xochitl Dixon
REFLECT & PRAY
When have bad attitudes negatively affected your vision? How can you make sure your hope is centred on God’s will?
Loving God, thank You for refreshing my spirit and turning my plea for mercy into hope-filled praises.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Psalm 42, what might the “thirsty deer” imagery picture? Some scholars see it describing a deer being pursued by a hunter, running for its life and desperate for water to continue its flight from danger. Others imagine the deer in a season of drought, also desperate for the water necessary for survival but facing a very different kind of threat. Ultimately, the word picture reminds us that in our own desperate seasons, we’ll only find what we need in God. Only He can truly satisfy us.
Bill Crowder
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