Green Fields and Dark Skies





There is a reason that this south Georgia crop is green and healthy -- frequent showers and thunderstorms. Yes, our state and others in the southeast part of the country have experience an (over) abundance of "blessings" from the sky this past year.

Some people are not particularly fond of the occasional sky to ground lightning, high winds and flooding that can occur along with the rain... and rightfully so, but if all we every saw was sunshine then this beautiful field would be dried up and dead.

Jesus said, "[God] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:45) We (all humans) receive blessings and storms in our life. They come to those who are evil as well as those who are good. How you respond to them tells the world a lot about you.

The Bible says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Those who love the Lord can be joyful and give thanks in ALL circumstances because of their close relationship with God as seen in a consistent prayer life.

How can Christians live with this attitude of praise in all things? Because we know that God works through all events, even the difficult times, for our good and His glory. When the unexpected loss of a child results in a large number of lost people giving their life to the Lord for salvation, is this a good thing or a bad thing? Yes -- to both.

As the Apostle Paul sat in a jail cell he wrote, "And we know that IN ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) He didn't say all things were good, but that IN all things God works for the good.

Green fields and dark skies often go hand-in-hand. There is growth and maturing in one's character as you go through life's storms. Everyone faces them, but not everyone faces them with the Spirit of God walking them through it -- it makes a world of difference.

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