As far back as I can remember, I’ve disliked cloudy days, especially in winter. They seemed endless and without hope, chilling both body and soul.
Still, they are a part of life, so I decided to learn to like them—and now I do. My secret? Actually, I have several.
Sometimes I take advantage of gloomy days to bake a sweet treat to enjoy with my coffee. The house smells of freshly brewed coffee and homemade goodies, and that creates a warm, happy feeling.
I’ve found that I can help brighten the day by the clothing I wear, like my favorite brightly colored sweater or some pretty jewelry.
Most of all I’ve learned to thank God for those days. I’m still not crazy about them, but I have a warm house, a cozy bed, food on the table, and someone to enjoy my blessings with.
Not long ago, I was out on one of those gloomy days. Although it was overcast, I didn’t expect it to rain, so I hadn’t taken an umbrella. Mid-morning I was far from home when I was caught in a downpour. By the time I got home, I was drenched. A hot shower and lunch put it all behind me, though, and I felt much better.
While I was caught in the rain, I prayed for all the people who were victims of a disaster. Not a disaster like burning the dinner—I mean a real disaster like being left homeless by a natural disaster, with no hot shower, dry clothes, and a warm meal to set things right.
When some negative circumstance brings you down, praying for others who have it worse puts things in perspective and does the soul good, like a hot shower warms the body after getting caught in the rain, or the smell of homemade cake lifts the gloom of a dark day. Remembering that we have a very big God who sees and knows everything, who loves us dearly, and who will never let us be tested beyond what He knows we can handle with His help (1 Corinthians 10:13) lifts the spirit, like the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
Even when the sky is overcast, the sun is still shining. The clouds might keep us from seeing it, but it’s there, just as bright as ever. When darkness closes in around us, the sunshine of God’s love is still there, as constant as ever, waiting for just the right moment to break through the clouds and warm our souls once again.