1 Corinthians 13:12 “We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!” [MSG]
It was one of the most anticipated moments of our vacation at Acadia National Park: viewing the sunset from Cadillac Mountain. There’s nothing quite like it. And we almost missed it.
Fog was rolling into the valley. As we drove toward the summit, we had almost concluded that our venture was fruitless. We could hardly see ten feet in front of us, so how could we possibly observe the light-years distant sun making its evening descent? But a funny thing happened on the way to the top….
The further we climbed, the clearer the sky became. It’s as if the sun was playing hide-and-seek behind the clouds and the fog—diffusing its rays—was lending a hand. It created one of the most breathtaking scenes I’ve ever witnessed.
It started me thinking about those foggy spiritual encounters we face. Times when we can’t see where we’re going. We know God exists, but his plan appears about as clear as the notorious pea-soupers of London.
Foggy times present a different challenge than those when darkness engulfs us. Despair often drives us straight to the heart of God because we know we have no other alternative. Songs about trusting God in pitch-black storms abound. But uncertainty? Not too many lyrics about the splendor found in ambiguity. Since foggy situations fall short of full-blown crises, we’re tempted to look at our confusion as something to either figure out or sit out…without God. We bypass a level of trust and depth of beauty that can only be discovered in the fog.
When we cry, “I trust you” in those haze-laden times (actually in spite of them) a great fog horn resounds in the heavens that delights the Lord. Scripture assures us that in time the mist will lift and one day we will see God clearly. Foggy times offer us the chance to enact our faith until that promise finds fulfillment.
So if fog is occluding your path right now, seize it as an opportunity, not a hindrance, to trust. Don’t drive back down the mountain and miss the beauty.