Fog on the Mountain

Living in the mountains affords us some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.  Every season brings a whole new landscape of colors that affirms God's handiwork all around us.  Each morning I go through the same routine as soon as my feet hit the floor.  First, I let God know whatever He has for me that day, I'm all in!  Then, Murphy and I make our way to the kitchen and I let her out.  At that point, it is still dark outside.  Then I feed her and wait on my first of many cups of coffee.   I then go sit on the couch, with Bible in hand, coffee on the side table and Murphy curled up beside me for her morning siesta.  I enjoy the quietness of the morning as I talk and listen to my Heavenly Father through His Word and prayer.  All the while watching intently through the slats in the blinds waiting patiently for daylight to break so I can draw back the blinds and let the light come in where I get to see the first glimpse of God's beauty that surrounds me in the outside world. 

This morning was no exception to my routine! As the light started peaking through the blinds to give me my queue, I drew back the blinds and looking out across the mountains was the densest fog.  I could hardly see the peaks of the mountains.  The fog was overtaking the view that I long to see every morning!  The view of the massive beautiful mountains!  The view that serves as a reminder to me of just how big our God is!  The fog distorted that view and for a brief moment, I felt let down.  As if someone had just taken my last piece of chocolate.  And trust me, I love chocolate!  But then God brought something to my attention as He so often does.  As I looked out at the white puffy fog that was covering the beauty of the morning, He showed me that's what happens when the things of this world come into our life and gets in front of our relationship with God.  Our vision becomes skewed and it is hard to see clearly what is truth and what is false.  We find ourselves walking aimlessly in the fog trying to find and feel our way through.  It's like looking through a camera lens that is out of focus.  You just can't see things clearly!  Things become dark and fuzzy, lines are blurred, and sin ultimately sets in.  It happens so quickly and can blindside you if you are not prepared. 

In order to survive and navigate through this distorted world (the fog), as Christ Followers, first, we need to bathe our self in God's Word so it is planted deep in our hearts and minds.  Then, when the fog comes and things seem blurry through the lens of our life, we can recall His promises from His Word.  The promise to give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).  Secondly, we need to trust the Holy Spirit to guide us through those foggy times.  Those times when you are struggling, when things seem to hard to handle, loneliness overtakes you, or bad news comes your way and you feel like your life is caving in.  Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."  Lastly and most importantly, we need to offer up all of our praise to our Lord and Savior.  For we know that during those hard times in our life, when we are struggling to feel our way through the fog,  joy will ultimately come!   The fog will eventually lift and we will see clearly His beauty and be able share our testimony with others that are still just seeing the fog.   "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Hebrews 12:1-2