I lived in the Pacific Northwest for many years. It’s a beautiful place, very green. However, the reason it is so green is because it is also very moist. It’s also very dark. It’s perfect for moss. And mushrooms. But it was not perfect for me.

And yet I lived there for a total of 24 years, mostly due to the good jobs that existed there. In the end, I couldn’t take the cold, dark, wet anymore so we moved to Southern California. I’m more like a sunflower than I am a shiitake.

In the midst of those dark years though, we took frequent trips to warm sunny places. I would excitedly anticipate each trip, fantasizing about sun on my skin and warm breezes. Those beautiful daydreams made my gloomy-weather reality tolerable, even enjoyable.

“Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.” (Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭12,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

Life here in this fallen, sin-filled world is hard. It’s broken and dark. There is pain and death, frustration and fear. And yet we have a beautiful new world to look forward to. God wants us to think about that, plan for it, and hope. He wants us to get excited, to dream about it, and share the good news of it with everyone we meet so they can have hope too.

One day, Jesus will return and make all things new. He will shine His light into every dark corner and wipe away every tear from our faces. This knowledge makes my current reality tolerable, even enjoyable.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for your promise to make all things new, to fix what we broke, and to return goodness and beauty to our lives. I can’t wait! Forgive me for losing track of that beautiful hope and getting mired in the drear of my current struggles. Help me to be patient, to rejoice in expectation, and to never stop praying.