Turning clouds to glory

It is hard to beat an Irish sunset.

Last week, I tried to change my flights to speak in Belfast because Dad is still in hospital. It was stupidly expensive, and Dad firmly assured me that he would survive till I was home and so, I went ahead. On Thursday evening, my friend Lois took me to the Portrush cliffs and we watched the sky flame into fire.  

You can’t rush a sunset. The best of it is when the sun finally dips below the horizon and the clouds transform from foreboding grey into a glimpse of the glory of God. But, you need to be prepared to wait.

There is lots about waiting in the Bible. It seems God is never in a hurry. Not that he needs the time but we do, because we change in the waiting.

Patience isn’t my forte but I am discovering that waiting for God isn’t supposed to be a fraught, anxious activity. It is a waiting full of anticipation. Every sunset is different. What will God do with the clouds in my life? How can he transform them into glory? 

I was pretty near the end of myself when I arrived to speak in Belfast. It had been a rollercoaster of emotions with dad being ill and endless driving to the hospital. But God gave me a couple of days of quiet by the coast to restore my soul and I tangibly knew that I was being prayed for. Thank you so much to all of you who’ve prayed for us. Again and again, 2 Corinthians 12:9 holds true for me - “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

It is as we set our hearts to trust and wait for that grace that our clouds turn to glory.