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Silver Lining


We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

Romans 8:28  (AMP)

'Every cloud has a silver lining'... that's how the saying goes. But sometimes, it's hard to see the silver lining in the dreary dark clouds. Disappointments have a way of leaving one with a 'wasted' feeling. Like waking up with a hang over and wondering ... 'why did I do this to myself?'. But disappointments leave you feeling hungover on hope. Yup. Hope. That light at the end of the tunnel, that ray of sunshine we keep waiting for ... but when it never comes we wonder? 'why?' That's the word that captures the hungover feeling ... 'WHY?'
'Why did I bother to put myself out there and hope?' 'WHY?' 
We feel like sometimes letting sleeping dogs lie is good and sometimes burying one's head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich is even better. But hope? Ah hope is dangerous! It makes us rouse these sleeping dogs and tells us it's okay to bring our heads out of the ground and look at our surroundings. Then we try to mirror these surroundings we see with the dreams we had when our heads were buried in the sand and sometimes we are left disappointed! Then we start with the 'why's.
'why did I ....' 'why didn't I ...' but I guess it all boils down to this ... 'why did I bother to hope?' 
This week, my 'why' question was 'why bother working hard?' when one simple unrelated event can negatively or positively affect the outcome of my hard work? I wanted to be upset, angry, frustrated, disappointed ... funny, I couldn't feel any of these emotions. All I had was calm within me. I wanted to upset the calm I felt, stir the waters, couldn't I see what was happening to me? ... But still ... Calm. I guess that's what happens when the Master arises and says 'Peace be still !'
Sitting and sorting through my thoughts after the event had occurred, I came to the conclusion that biblical hope stems from faith in God. (Both are connected whether I like it or not!) And If I say I trust God and his plan and purposes for my life, and I have faith that he will bring them to pass, then I have to HOPE.
Disappointments will come, they are of course part of life. Life would be really boring if we had sunshine all day and no clouds to break the direct rays of the sun or dark clouds to bring rain and colour into our lives.
So yes, dark clouds do come, but in every dark cloud, there's a silver lining ... I may not see it now, but I don't have to. All I need to do is trust the One to whom I've committed my life ... and HOPE!
Are you hoping? or is your head still buried in the ground?
I guess Job knew a lot about hope when in spite of his situation he said "Because even if he killed me, I’d keep on hoping. I’d defend my innocence to the very end. Just wait, this is going to work out for the best—my salvation!"Job 13:15-16 MSG

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