It's a Cloudy Day

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.” —Job 42:5-6

We often wish for blue skies instead of storm clouds. 

But cloudy skies may reveal God’s faithfulness. 

We gain perspective on how God has been faithful in our trials as we look back on the clouds.

In Job 3:3-5, after a time of quiet agony, Job broke his silence and let out his anguish. 

He called for darkness and then destruction to overwhelm him. 

Instead of seeing God’s light-filled and good creation, Job felt he was living in a world of darkness. 

But in Job 42:5-6, we see the resolution to Job’s conflict. 

Out of the whirlwind, God challenged Job and pointed to creation as a witness to His reality. 

Although Job was never told that his sufferings were the result of spiritual warfare from the devil, Job submitted to the sovereignty of God and experienced restoration.

Job's experience of despair continued for a long time until God spoke. Then he encountered the sovereign Creator, and that changed his perspective on God’s purposes.

Clouds of trouble may fill our skies for a time.

But then, God may use these clouds to help us gain perspective on His faithfulness.

Often the clouds of sorrow reveal the sunshine of God's face. 

Start Counting Your Blessings

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen. (Matthew 20:16)

Here we have Jesus' parable of the workers and their grossly unfair paychecks.

Some people who have been idly standing around are hired by a landowner at the eleventh hour (Matthew 20:6-7).

The other workers, who have been serving him all day long, are shocked when each receives identical pay.

The landowner paid the same amount for 1 hour's work as for 12!

Jesus was giving us a parable about grace, which cannot be calculated like a day's wage.

God dispenses gifts, not wages.

Let us never dwell on the efforts we have made.

Let us rather start counting our blessings.

Even the Wind and the Sea Obey Him

"But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4:40)

The incident painted a picture of a small boat threatened with destruction in a furious storm.

As the disciples were struggling against the wind and waves, the Lord Jesus Christ was undisturbed. While the disciples were frantically trying to save a sinking boat, the Lord Jesus Christ was asleep.

The Lord Jesus Christ was so tired that even the violent tossing of the waves did not wake Him.

Didn't the Lord Jesus Christ care that they were all about to die?

After the Lord Jesus Christ calmed the storm, He asked them the penetrating question, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

Then the disciples became even more afraid, exclaiming to each other, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

It was a vivid lesson to the disciples about who Jesus is and what He can do.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the omnipotent sovereign God.

Just as Jesus' disciples, to each person who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ, He reveals His presence, compassion, and control in every storm of life.