1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We are so 2 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: thankful to have you listening with us here today. Today's 3 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: topic is waiting be the When it's dark, we will 4 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: return after a brief message from our sponsor. Waiting for 5 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: the Sun to Shine Again, written by Aaron de Anthony 6 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: Brown red or Rochelle ALBERTI Bible reading. Even when I 7 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for 8 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: you are with me. Your rod and your staff they 9 00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: comfort me, Psalm twenty three four CSB. I was one 10 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: of the many waiting for the sun to shine again 11 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: after a long cold winter. Eventually, it does return, albeit 12 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: more slowly than we might wish. Life can be like 13 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: that sometimes, where tough situations are slow to change and improve. 14 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: When you find yourself feeling down and out, how do 15 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: you respond. Do you turn to God and patiently wait 16 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: for the bad times to pass. Do you develop a 17 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: bad attitude to match the circumstances, or do you just 18 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: go with the flow. As Christians, we pray to God 19 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: with anticipation and hope for the good times of life. 20 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: There are many of them. However, again, as Christians, we 21 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: also know that God doesn't solely promise us good times. 22 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: The bad times are in fact a part of this 23 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: miracle we call life, and they are just as important. 24 00:01:55,800 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: In effect, life is an alternating sequence of seasons in 25 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: which we experience highs and lows. Those upbeat moments are 26 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: much easier to handle and appreciate. The difficulties. On the 27 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: other hand, they read as scratching our heads, wondering when 28 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: God will step in to rescue us. If this sounds 29 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: like you, you are not alone. Everyone at some point 30 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: will be waiting for the sun to shine again. Don't 31 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: focus on your problems. One major mistate people often make 32 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 1: when struggling life is harping on their misfortunes. They pray 33 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,399 Speaker 1: about it, think about it, and talk about it a lot. 34 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: Not only that, but our culture promotes ideas such as 35 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: self love and affirmation so often that people think good 36 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: vibes will cast away their problems. Life smelt so simple. 37 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:52,239 Speaker 1: In fact, focusing on yourself often makes the problem seem 38 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: bigger than it is, So what's the solution. Think less 39 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: about yourself and more about others. Rather than dwell on 40 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: the bad things happening, spend some time thinking about the good. 41 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: Go out and do good in the world. What you 42 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: will discover is that sometimes the problems go away, and 43 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: even if they don't, when your mind is set on 44 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: other things, the problems were never as bad as you 45 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: originally thought. Find ways to stay encouraged. Choosing not to 46 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: focus on your problems doesn't magically make you feel better. 47 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: Hard times can still leave us feeling sad, angry, and 48 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: worse suicidal. That's why it's important that we know how 49 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: to find encouragement. Your specific ways may look different from mine, 50 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: but what's important is that we have a reliable game plan. 51 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: The bad times will come, that's a certainty, and when 52 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: they do, wisdom calls for us to be prepared. Take 53 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: some time to consider where you currently find encouragement and 54 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: where else you ought to go. Some helpless solutions include prayer, church, 55 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: loved ones, a gratitude journal, exercise, reducing art, and so 56 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: much more. Learn content. Sometimes God says yes, sometimes know, 57 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: and sometimes not yet. The latter can be difficult to understand, 58 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: especially when you feel so justified in you're pleased to 59 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: the Lord. However, God is God, He is not going 60 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: to change a circumstance every time we ask. There could 61 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 1: be a lesson for us to learn or maybe we're 62 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 1: feeling the effects of sin or bolts. As Paul learned 63 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: to be satisfied with God's grace as he struggled with 64 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: the thort and the flesh, so too must we. Based 65 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: on how he lived, the formulace or contentment is probably 66 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: something like faith, pless, patience, less gratitude. Obviously that's contrary 67 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: to our human nature and won't come naturally. Yet God 68 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 1: is able to supply all our needs and desires to 69 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: see us grow. We have to do our part to 70 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 1: seek that group. The valids of life will come and 71 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: come again, that's a fact. Yet we can also be 72 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: well prepared to handle. Waiting for the sun to shine 73 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: again is not easy, but you know that it's coming. 74 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: Take hope today. Further reading and listen Psalm thirteen, Romans 75 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: eighth eighteen, John sixteen thirty three. I Smile by Kirk 76 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: Franklorn No Longer bound by Force Frank and Holding the 77 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and Salem Media. 78 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 1: If you like to you heard today, Please take a 79 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: second to rate and review this podcast in your favorite 80 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: podcast app so that more listeners like you can find 81 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: the show for more faith filled inspirational podcasts. Visit us 82 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 1: at lifeaudio dot com.