The shadow proves the sunshine

It was a hard day at church this morning.

Our secretary passed away during the evening after a brief, but brutal battle with lung cancer. She was too young.

I tried to pass the news around the church before we got to the Lifting Up our Joys and Concerns portion of our service this morning. But there was the audible gasp of air as I shared our concern for her family and our thanksgiving that she passed into eternal life peacefully.

During the morning prayer, I could feel the heaviness of the congregation. It is hard to trust that the future is in God's hands, especially when loved ones are struggling with illness and uncertainty. We came before God asking for comfort and assurance and praying for courage and faith. But I felt like we didn't have a chance to say all that needs to be said, or express our longings clearly enough.

My sister gave me the new Switchfoot cd for my birthday. I keep hearing,

"O, Lord, don't be far away...storm clouds gathering beside me... please Lord, don't look the other way"

And at the end

"the shadow proves the sunshine...let my shadows prove the sunshine."

In the midst of the heaviness and the depth of feeling my congregation is bearing right now, there is so much more to say. There are so many questions that will go unanswered. There is so much grief that will hit us when we least expect it. There is just so much! These situations have knocked us down before.
I pray we can continue to bear witness to our faith in the Comforter.Lord, let our shadows still prove the Sunshine.