Dealing with the gray days

As I look out my window, the rain is saturating the ground. It isn’t warm spring rain, but a cold winter rain. We are going from awesome white snow, through the obnoxious slipperiness of ice and on to the depressing drip of winter rain. Gray is the color of the world, for now.

But that doesn’t mean gray is our color. No, in Christ, we are children of light — thus gray has no place in the ministry of God’s children. So it’s time to look on the bright side and for the light shines for us all.

This rain is a bringer of life, as all rain is. The rain is purposed to cleanse and prepare the soil for what is to come. Right now we have to contend with mud and such, but soon there will be flowers and budding trees. Birds will be out playing in the grass, and children will be running around laughing. The outside sports will soon be playing and we can all get outside to bask in the beauty of God’s creation.

I am a big fan of Ecclesiastes 3, a chapter made famous by the Byrds in the song “Turn, Turn, Turn.” God assures us in his words that there will be a time for everything — joy, peace and prosperity, as well as sadness, war and poverty. So now we are in the gray time of the year, but soon it will be the bright time. Now the days are a bit short, but soon they will be longer. Now they are cold, but soon they will be warm.

These cycles give us an opportunity to do one of two things. We can rejoice in him and the good things He brings, and we can seek Him and lean on him during the hard times. Both are what we are supposed to do.

Our lives should revolve around Christ, not the seasons. In our journey, there will be good times and bad times. We will have moments of rejoicing and moments of sorrow. We will cheer, and we will cry. This is perfectly normal. The one thing we are supposed to do at all times is look to Christ.

I know times are not what we would like them to be. I personally would like to see eggs at less than a $1.50 a dozen and gas below a buck a gallon. That may or may not happen, but I know that regardless of prices, politics and atmospheric conditions, God will always be by my side.

This is why you and I need to bring people to church. I believe there are many who cannot see the hope that is in Christ. I believe that many are running around in this gray time, not knowing that soon it will be bright and colorful.

So, why not take a friend to church this coming Sunday? Don’t expect them to show up — go get them. Why not just encourage family and friends to join you in the pews or at the Bible study? People need to know there is hope. They need to know that God will always be with them, not matter what.

Shalom my friends.

See you in church.

Rev. Kent Wilfong is the pastor at the United Methodist Church, Doniphan/Neelyville.