When Cloud covers our view

A few weeks ago Paul and I climbed a hills called Moel Fenlli near where we live. It is a stunning walk and it was a beautiful day. At the top you could see for miles and miles

The view was an awesome patchwork of fields and valleys with the odd village and town dotted around. You could see the pinpricks of cattle and sheep and the lush green of many different trees lining fields and lanes. This scene was framed against the breathtaking Snowdon range and set against a vibrant blue sky. It was a view that made my heart sing to God to thank him for the wonders of creation. I spent some time there just watching the World and asking God to show me new things about him. It reminded me of these verses from Job: 

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,

    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

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or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,

    or let the fish in the sea inform you.

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Which of all these does not know

    that the hand of the Lord has done this?

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In his hand is the life of every creature

    and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:7-10)

Today we climbed the same hill again but the weather wasn't as fine, in fact it was more typically Welsh! It wasn't long into our ascent that we entered the cloud and as we sat at the top a short while later I was interested to see that the view was somewhat different. There was a little bit of familiar landscape around, enough to know where I was, but the stunning view was swallowed up by the whisps of cloud swirling around me engulfing the surroundings and obscuring my vision. 

In this moment God spoke to me. 

You see my experience in the hills was a bit like life. Sometimes we are in a season where we can see for miles, we may feel like the sun is shining down on us and we can clearly see where we are going. God may have given you a vision of the future and at that time the way to it may seem so clear. It is a time when we may sit and marvel at God's work at our life. 

But sometimes we enter a season in which things may become cloudy. Our view is obscured and we cannot see where we are headed. We know where we are, but we simply cannot see how to get to where we want to be. God, however, says do not fear we just need to:  

Cling on to what is good around you. Cling to the scriptures, that familiar landscape of truth. Keep that recognisable connection with Christ through prayer and recognise you are in a place known to God

Persevere! Press on. trust in God. 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.[a] Because of the joy[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;[c] then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin."  (Hebrews 12: 1-2)

You see, after a while, the clouds clear, the vision extends and once again, God asks you to take in the view.