Expect God's Blessings

He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of his free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus."  Ephesians 2:7

There is the darkness of nature when the days are short and there is darkness of spirit when negative thoughts and depression settle into your spirit.  Sometimes, when the days get  brighter, your spirits lift and sometimes it doesn't without prayer and help from others.  This time of year is difficult and I find myself teetering on the brink of darkness waiting for the days to lift and lighten so that my mood might also.

I took the opportunity to go away for the weekend to try and lift my spirits and it worked even if temporarily.  Coming back, I realized that I had not given thought to my devotional book and here it is nearly three days later and I have just gotten around to looking for the next one.  Ironically, it was all about getting rid of negativity to be open to God's blessings.  It's an ironic contradiction that I can intellectually realize how blessed I am at the same time feeling pulled toward a black hole.  I think it's what keeps me from falling in.  The ability to see that reality in the third person makes it manageable.

This morning, I looked out my daughter's window and realized that we have turned the corner.  The sun was just coming up over the horizon as I was waking her for school when it seems like just last week it was dark at the same time of day and perhaps it was.  We might still have a long stretch of winter to live through and more snow and ice to contend with but the sun and the Son are coming!  We just have to hang in there.