A Curtain of Fog

My husband and I unloaded our two small suitcases and the snacks we’d brought. Three relaxing days at the beach stretched before us. So what if it was winter and the weather was overcast? We love the beach anytime. While Barry returned the luggage cart, I stepped onto the balcony of our oceanfront room, eager to check the size of the waves. Instead of waves, a curtain of fog greeted me. Dense, thick fog. The ocean was nowhere in sight.

I zipped my jacket and settled onto a balcony chair. We’d stayed at this hotel before. I knew the ocean ebbed and flowed on the other side of the heavy mist. But going only by what I saw, anything could have been there. A shopping mall. An amusement park. The Himalayas, or maybe the Sahara Desert.

Sometimes, a curtain of fog dims my spiritual eyes. I start focusing on the way things appear instead of on the One who is in control. A heavy mist of doubt, anxiety, or discouragement causes me to forget the Apostle Paul’s reminder in 2 Corinthians 5:7: “for we walk by faith, not by sight.” (NASB)

How do we navigate when pain or grief threatens to disorient us? On the balcony that chilly winter day, I watched a circle of sunlight slowly pierce the fog. As the sun shone brighter, the curtain of fog gradually thinned. The sunlight evaporated the mist and the ocean came into plain view.

Psalm 84:11 tells us the Lord God is a sun and shield. He is the light shining through the clouds of our lives. When we keep our eyes on Him, He dispels the fog of our doubts and fears and shows us truth. We can trust Him even when we can’t see ahead.

Consider Romans 10:17: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (NASB) God has given us His word to hold onto and to strengthen us when a curtain of fog clouds our spiritual eyes. We can cling to His promises, knowing He is faithful to do what He says. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 16:8: “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (NIV)

Are you struggling to find your way through a heavy mist of doubt and fear? Keep your eyes on the Lord God. He is your sun and shield, and He will guide you.

Now it’s your turn! What are some of your favorite promises from God’s word? Please leave your comments in the box below.