Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Piercing the Fog

I am sorry for being AWOL (Absent Without Leave) last week. I was sick, which messed up my schedule and put me under a significant time crunch. But, I am back. I hope the following thoughts are an encouragement to you.


            A couple of winters ago my wife and I took a little excursion to a neighboring town. We went there to visit a British shop (which was closed) and to eat in a British pub (which was open). As we drove to and from the town we encountered varying degrees of fog. It was a persistent fog that refused to give up and go away.

            Fog does strange things to our world. Fog has a way of distorting the familiar. It can hide our world in a thick blanket of damp coldness. Or it can make the countryside appear to be the image through an improperly focused lens. Fog can be dangerous. If it is thick enough, it can blind us to what is ahead. In winter it can add a thin layer of slick ice to seemingly dry roads. Overall fog makes our world dank and dreary. By obscuring the sun it robs us of both light and warmth. It can seep into our souls; wrapping our spirit in its clammy blanket.

            There are times in life when we feel like we are living in a fog. It is not a physical fog that we know will one day soon be banished. It is an emotional and spiritual fog that can hang on for extended periods of time. This fog can distort our world just like its more tangible cousin. When we live in a fog, we can’t see things clearly, as they really are. Instead, we begin to see distorted shapes that take on an air of foreboding. Living in a fog is dangerous because we become blind to real dangers, while we are running from imaginary ones. We are more likely to slip and fall emotionally, spiritually or morally when we live in a fog. So what can we do to pierce the fog? Is there a way out? The answer is the same for both tangible and emotional fog. To pierce the fog we need light; the light of the sun (Son).

            We can hold onto the truth that the light is there. As we were driving the radio people were talking about the dreary weather. One of them interjected that the sun was still there, even if we can’t see it. If we are going to pierce the fog, we need to hold onto the reality that the Son is always with us even when we cannot see Him. When our world looks distorted we need to hang onto what we know to be solid and true. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b

            We can seek the light. A real problem for many people is called seasonal affective disorder. During the winter months, when light is at its minimum, many people feel discouraged and lack energy because of the lack of sunlight. Some people find relief from this disorder through the use of a special full-spectrum lamp. This lamp simulates the light of the sun. When we are living in an emotional/spiritual fog we can find relief by going to God’s word. The Bible is a genuine source of the light of Christ. It is available to us at any time. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

            When the fog settles in, look ahead and visualize a positive future. It is not unusual in the winter to have a very long stretch of overcast, dreary weather. As each overcast morning dawns, it gets easier to slip into the negative idea that we will never see the sun again. But we know that the sun will win out in the end. The fog and clouds will not last. A day is coming when the sun will break through and dispel the gloom. The same is true emotionally and spiritually. Although our dark days may hang on we can look ahead to a different reality. The day is coming when the light of Christ will break through and allow us to see things clearly again. This will happen sometime in our immediate future and ultimately when he comes to take us home to be with him. He will not leave us in the fog forever. If we will reach out to him he will pierce our fog and flood us with his light.

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

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