Above the Clouds
By Muriel Larson
Listen to this devotional read aloud online
** Take our online interactive Bible study about how to beat stress
“Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7)
We lived on the highest ridge in the scenic southwestern section of Wisconsin. One day I headed to town to run some errands. The beautiful sunshiny day lifted my spirit as I drove toward the asphalt road that led to town. But as I headed down the steep hill I saw clouds blanketing the land below.
Shifting into second gear and cutting on my lights, I prayerfully continued on. It was pea-soup fog all the way down. In comparison to the ridge above, the town below looked dreary indeed
Returning home, when I got near the top I broke through the cloudbank into the golden rays of the sun.
When you’re under the clouds in the lowland, I thought, things look dreary indeed. But above the clouds the light restores your spirit.
That’s just the way it is in life, isn’t it! When we’re going through trials, things tend to look gloomy and depressing. How long will this go on?, we wonder. What’s going to happen? And while we’re asking that question, we’re imagining the gloomiest scenario possible!
It goes just as my trip down to town did:
* Life seems to be going quite smoothly–and then we hit the clouds. As Christians, however, we have some great resources. As I went toward that cloudbank, I shifted gears and put on the lights. So when we see trouble coming, or we start going through it, we can “shift gears” and “put on the light.” We can switch to “prayer mode,” and really start talking to our Lord who is the Light! And He can bring us through.
* When I went down into that cloudbank, I knew the visibility would be poor and I had better keep my eye on the road. I knew also that I would be returning to the beautiful sunshiny day. So it is with trials. If we face the fact that we have to go through them, we can trust God’s promise that He will work everything for our good. But if we become angry, bitter, and resentful, we’ll be miserable. Yet if we keep looking to our Lord and depending on Him, we will know that above the clouds the sun is shining–and this trial will pass.
Dear Lord, help me to keep on trusting you, no matter what!
Permanent devotional link
Question: What anxiety have you experienced lately, or are you experiencing right now?
About this Author: Dr. Muriel Larson
linda r thank you for the prayers i am leaving in about an hour to see the dr. and will find out if it is cancer or not. i would also like for you to pray for my nefews wife she is only 36 and she too will find out to day if she has breast cancer
sharon
Thank you, Kanj, for your encouragement. You sound as if you have reached the wonderful level of peace that I did, after looking to the Lord through so many trials. Isn’t it wonderful that when we constantly trust our Lord He can raise us above the clouds! And the precious truth is that He will do that for every one of us His children as we look to Him and trust Him.
Seven years ago I was asked to become “Dr. Muriel,” and give advice by E-Mail to the readers of Christian Women Today. And I said, “Well, Lord, you know what a pussy cat I am when it comes to seeing anyone suffer. If you will help me sleep at night, I will do this for you. Well, I did–and He did! Not only that, but He has given me wisdom for even the really rough situations! Our Lord can do anything.
I am sorry if I offended you, Mugs, as I was not intending to suggest that I was addressing your particular circumstances. I hope you will forgive me. I was just addressing the very real predicament that many families are faced with, as families have become more spread out. As a nurse, I used to see many families in which there was lopsided caregiving responsibilities, and it invariably led to resentment between siblings. I was only trying to share some food for thought, as many of us may be faced with these circumstances in the years ahead!
I am not living with any anxity at the moment! When I do I ask my husband to pray with me. I have written it out what is bothering me!
Marilyn our circumstances are all differnent and Each situation is different.
marilyn,
as 1 Corinthians 3:11 says we are then to rest our feet on the only solid foundation in life: Jesus Christ. He gives us reason to carry on. bless you and yes, we all have choices, carry on or drown in the sea of our trials and struggles.
kanj, I know exactly what you are describing, and the peace of God is such a blessing during times of difficulty and loss! Last year was a difficult year for me. In February, we had to put our beloved 10-year-old cat to sleep, due to acute kidney failure. In March, I was injured on the job, a rotator cuff partial tear. During this time, my mother-in-law’s health was declining (she was a widow, diabetic, virtually blind, and had many strokes), and she was going into renal failure. As I have a nursing background, my husband’s family depended on me as their medical advocate (I loved my mother-in-law dearly.) Our daughter’s wedding was planned for May (she and I did all the planning, as her husband’s family lived 4 states away.) Five days before our daughter’s wedding, I learned that my workman’s comp case was being disputed by my employer’s insurance company. My son’s high school graduation was in June, and college preparation was another concern. My dear mother-in-law passed away in July. We became ‘empty-nesters’ in August. And, finally, in late September, I won my workman’s comp case, after 6 1/2 months of a nightmarish experience! But, through all this (though not all of my events were sad ones, they were stressful, none-the-less), I felt God’s peace, and His provision! His grace truly is sufficient for our needs, as we choose to enjoy Him and worship Him through our challenges! Praise Him!
muriel, thank you for the devotion. i did see this post on sat. i read it many times over. and each time i came to your question as to ”what anxiety have i experienced lately or are now experiencing”, try as i might, i could not for the life of me say that i have experienced lately or now, any anxiety that had given me the sadness that comes with trials and struggles daily. and daily they do come for me. in the past year i have experienced 2 deaths, the most recent in july this year. my foundation would not crumble in the greiving as i did not see either death as sad. with each service, it was a celebration of their lives. life can be so difficult at times yet through these experiences i knew i wasn’t alone. God was with me, guiding me and helping me so that i could help my family carry on. i have peace and serenity, God’s precious gifts. i can learn in all facets of life to be obedient to the will of God as my life has become a little easier to live with. it’s not such a struggle as it was. my faith is not without reason, but it is beyond my reason.
Dear Heavenly Father I just bring Sharon before You asking Dear Lord that You would reach out and touch her body. Jesus I just pray that You healing hand would touch her and minister to her right now, calm her nerves and just wrap Your loving arms around her allowing her to rest in You. I just Pray this in Your Name In Faith Believing Amen! Hugs, Linda!!!
right now i am waitng for resulets of a biopsy i had done last week. i know He will be with me every step but i have had cancer once allready and i am very nerveios
Hi Mugs! While I agree with you that siblings who do not pitch in with the caregiving needs of aging parents may not be intentionally dodging their responsibilities, it shouldn’t be difficult to recognize if one’s parents are needing increasing observation and/or assistance, and therefore offer to share in the caregiving duties. If distance prevents such, then sending monetary assistance might offer respite care for those tending their aging parents. Some people have difficulty asking for help, but thoughtful consideration of their circumstances can prompt us to offer it lovingly.
1 Peter 5: 7 Casting all yiour care on him for he cares for you!> Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is fixed on Him.
Cast thy burden on the Lord and he will sustain you and will never let the righteous fall.
These verses help me with anxiety!
Sometimes siblings don’t help because they are not asked to help or are not able to help. I am a younger sibling and that is what happened to me! we need to let our need for help be known!
In my case I lived quite a ways from where my sibling is!
Dear sister Kim, I join Linda R and Erika in lifting you before our heavenly Father . . .
Precious Lord, we thank You that through our trials, we can come to know You in a deeper, more intimate way! You, Lord, have so designed our trials for this very purpose! We know that nothing comes to us, but by way of Your divine authority, Lord, so we can be assured that You have pronounced our circumstances redeemable, useful to You and for our eternal benefit! Your Word tells us that You are “our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Help us, Lord, to lean fully on You, as you have called us. Lord, we ask for Your special touch upon Kim today, that she would be comforted and encouraged in this time of need! Grant her the reassurance of Your abiding Presence with her, may she know that You mourn with her over her losses! Strengthen her, Lord, for the demands of overseeing the care-giving of her dear mother, and provide her with emotional/spiritual support during this difficult time! Please, Lord, prompt Kim’s sister to share these responsibilities with her, that Kim would not feel so discouraged. Grant Kim restful nights, and may Your Holy Spirit lift her ‘above the clouds’ of this burdensome time! We ask this, Lord, in Your most holy Name, Amen!
i do pray for this for myself, that I would learn to trust God through the circumstances (despite what is seen). God bless.
Dear Kim,
I know just the feeling. My mother suffered several strokes and is being nursed at home. I am an only daughter, got brothers only. And they don’t live in my country. So the responsibility is on me. It’s tiring and stressing.Every day I wonder when will it be my day to see the light shine. But even though the circumstances, I thank God for my life. In spite all I feel there is going to be a day when I will feel the joy. This is a battle but I will not be defeated for I am sure His love will pull me through. A few weeks ago, I felt so lonely and in despair, my circumstances have not changed but I chose to believe in Him and to trust in Him. My body still aches and my health is not OK, but like I said before I chose to believe. And every time I feel I am falling apart I pray. It is our enemy that wants to make us feel that way. He wants to see us turned into garbage!
Lord, thank you for this day, for your love and tender care. Lord help Kim see You and feel You, the way you have shown me. Give her the strength. May her spirit be stronger so she won’t go blind like it happened to me. May Kim still enjoy the little things you give her every day. Lord you are our Heavenly Father and you have taken care of our needs. Father let her feel Your Arms around her. Lead her way to the light, open her ears so she can listen! Make her understand that she is not alone in this world and that she has been Blessed. God you know my needs and her needs, and other people around the world who are feeling the same way. Heal them, fill their souls with peace, minister us every moment and everyday, encourage us to keep fighting with You by our side. I pray to you in Your Name Believing . Amen
Kim my heart just aches so much for you as I have walked in your shoes exactly, I would love to share my story with you and try to be a bit of encouragement to you if you are interested. If you would like to email me my address is lrohne@shaw.ca I will just tell you I lost my daughter in a car accident and when my dad passed away I had to do all the funeral arrangements, then my mom had a stroke and I had to look after her myself as my sister never helped at all either so I do know how you feel.
Dear Heavenly Father I just bring Kim to You right now Lord I just ask that You would wrap Your Loving Arms so tightly around her, minister , comfort, encourage and just fill her full to over flowing with Your peace. Just remind her that You are with every moment of everyday. I just pray these things in You Name In Faith Believing Amen! Hugs, Linda!!!
Kim, You are correct, when I look at my problems or trials, it does seem dark and depressing. When I pray to the Lord, he gently leads me back to the sunshine and takes me out of my negative thinking. I am so sorry to hear of your losses. My prayer is that God will lead you more and more to focus on the good times with your son and Dad. God Bless.
My son died in 2004 and in this year alone my dad died, I’ve had job difficulties, my mom has had several strokes and I’ve recently had to place her in a nursing facility in my home townand her care has been place solely on me with my sister taking very little responsibility. It has been a stressful time. Sometimes I feel that the sun will never shine again. On the days I pray and seek God’s guidance I can definitely say that the “son” does shine brighter! I look for brighter days….I know they must be ahead!!