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Outdoor Truths: Aiming Outdoorsmen Toward Christ Jan 17, 2019

For many of us there is a lull in hunting right now. Deer season has closed except in the deep south and I've never been much of a predator hunter. I mostly rest this time of year, lick my wounds, and put most of my gear back in its place. A hog hunt may be in the near future, but otherwise I'm thinking about crappie and walleye, and even a big catfish. But none of these will require too much preparation or effort. I plan on coasting for the next little while, while I count down the days until Spring. The late Fall and Winter here has been really wet and dreary. I'm hoping the next few weeks will be unseasonably warm and dry. I'm not putting much faith in that, however. I've always tried not to complain too much about the weather, but that has been put to the test this year. Ugg! A week of sunshine would soothe my soul right now. Until then, I'll have to imagine, or remember, the sun.
In more important areas of life, there are lengthy periods of time that seem to be unusually discouraging and depressing. Sometimes it comes from a chain of unfortunate events, and other times, it's one bad occurrence that seems to linger on. During that season it seems as if both the power and presence of God has left our side. What was once near and vibrant has been lost to a continual feeling of abandonment and divine apathy. We feel we are left to ourselves. What do we do?
It's at those dreary days that we must remember the sun of the former days - not to go back and linger with regret or to go back and live in the past. But we are to go back and remember several better and positive truths. We're to remember that while the clouds may hide the sun, they cannot destroy it. It hasn't moved, and neither has God. We are to remember there have been former days where we were extremely blessed by periods of unseasonable sunlight and warmth. And if God gives extended blessings, we must trust him when there are extended periods of difficulty. We are to remember, there were other times of dreariness, but eventually the sun broke through and consumed every drop of despair. These periods in our lives are actually not periods. They are not the end. They do signify the end. The periods of lengthy gloom are part of the sentence that is your life and mine. And as long as God has the final word, the Son will eventually break through every cloud and reveal He has never moved.

gary@outdoortruths.org ~ www.outdoortruths.org


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