Three reasons to be happy: 1. The sun is shining. 2. At the time of writing Covid-19 numbers are going down. 3. School holidays are soon to begin. It’s all looking good!
Three reasons to be apprehensive: 1. There are record temperatures being recorded across the world. 2. Covid-19 is still around and people are still suffering with it. 3. The cost-of-living crisis means that many families will be looking at the summer holidays with trepidation – how to feed the kids and keep them entertained.
The same three things. Different ways of interpreting what is happening.
As we approached the Platinum Jubilee there were times when I was asked something along the lines of, “Can you have a word with the big guy so that it doesn’t rain?” To which my response was inevitably something like, “well, God’s in a tough spot here, because while you’re praying for it to not rain, the farmers and gardeners might be praying that it will rain!”
But isn’t that often the way? Things are getting better for some, but others might be facing new struggles… Life carries with it complexities, and we find ourselves wandering through the thick of it. Throughout it all, the good and the bad, one thing we can take comfort in, is that God journeys with us through it all. That’s not to say that we should just stop moaning and get on with things, but that as we do go about our lives we can know that we’re not alone. And while that doesn’t mean the hardships will always pass, there is solace to be found in knowing that we don’t walk the road alone.
Rev Tim
