Falling Through The Cracks

What do you notice first when you look at this picture - the snow on the deck or the cracks where the snow has fallen through?

Some days I feel like the pretty white, drifted snow that's gracing the world around me. I'm at perfect peace, I'm walking close to the Lord and I feel like I'm right in the middle of His perfect will. Those are the days that it's easy to witness, live for God and shine a light for those around me.

But on the other days, I feel exactly like those bare spots. The weight of the snow has pushed through, leaving a big, gaping, noticeable crack. I can't smooth over the snow around it to cover up the missing area - it will just fall through, too. I can't even push the fallen snow back up to fill in the empty space.

On those days it's a struggle just to get out of bed, let alone give my testimony. Shine a light? I'm not even sure where the light switch is! The gravity of circumstances, interactions with people and simple humanity pull down the snow and leave huge cracks in our very heart.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

No one knows more about tribulation in the world than Jesus Christ. He sees and feels the evil, hatred and pride more than anyone in history. He went through more tribulation while He walked this earth than many of us will see in a lifetime.

And yet He didn't quit, walk away and go pull the covers up over His head. The temptation is to give up and let the snow fall down through the cracks. But Jesus didn't say, That's fine. Go ahead and turn away from me. I understand.

He spoke of peace. He spoke of good cheer. He spoke of overcoming the world itself.

There are days when the snowfall will be pretty and white. It will cover the world with all of its shine and glitter. Other days it will slip through the cracks and reveal the broken places in our lives.

But regardless of what is happening in the circumstances of the world around us, Jesus Christ overcame the world for just such a moment. With Him in our hearts we have peace and we have good cheer.

The choice is to focus on the purity of the snow and not the cracks where it's empty.

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