The Highs and Lows

 

Recently I have been reading Matthew Bingham’s book A Heart Aflame for God (I highly recommend!). In this book on spiritual formation, Matt has a chapter titled “The Natural World” in which he discusses the Puritans’ belief that the natural world reflects God’s glory, teaches God’s truth, and aids in spiritual formation. They observed the world around them and considered carefully how it pointed them to the Lord. I have heard of this before, read examples of it, but I know that this is not something I’m very good at. The other morning, I decided to practice it while I was out on my morning run. 

    As I was running, and the sun started to come up, I looked to the left and saw the tree line. In the early morning light, all that was really visible were the outlines of the trees. The ups the downs. The highs the lows. Dark shapes. And it brought to mind the paths of our lives. I thought about how 1) our lives are filled with highs and lows, 2) from this earthly perspective some things are still in the dark and only the light of eternity will make them plain, 3) God’s glory in each of those moments will shine. 

    First, just as the outline of the trees showed that there were taller trees causing a rise in the outline, and shorter trees and bushes causing a fall in the outline, so we too have things throughout this life that bring us to heights of joy or depths of struggle. We all know this. Some seasons of life reverberate with peace, harmony, and circumstances that we embrace eagerly. Other seasons, sometimes short, sometimes long, bring us very low. Deaths, estrangement from family, loss of a job, depression. These, too, are a part of the ebb and flow of our lives, and for believers, all the combination of these things come together to constitute a life under the sovereign hand of God, who orders it all for our good (Romans 8:28).

From another angle, I noticed the deepest valley that had been hidden among the trees, reminding me that some of our deepest struggles may lie where hardly anyone else sees. Those closest to us may know and see glimpses of this deepest of valleys, but many others will not know nor understand. But even these hidden, deep valleys are given by the Lord and are walked through with us by our Shepherd (Psalm 23:4). We can take heart in the highs and lows of life, for “God is too wise not to know all about us, and what is really best for us. He is too good not to desire our highest good. If what He has appointed for us does not seem to us the best, or even to be good, we need to remember that He sees further than we do, and that we shall understand Him in time when His plans have unfolded themselves” (Henry Lidden). 

    Secondly, right now from our earthly persepective, many things still lie in the dark, but the light of eternity will make them plain. As I continued to run that morning (I run a loop so I pass this same spot repeatedly), I noticed that as the morning continued to progress, and the light of morning continued to grow, I could see more and more of what constituted the outline of the trees. Colors that were hidden in the dark became evident. Leaves and trunks and even houses could be seen. And I thought about how many things in our lives are unknown to us. Not just the hard and perplexing things, but even how God brings unexpected and surprising blessings. We can rarely see the complexities of the master weaving of God’s gracious hand in our lives. We see glimpses. We see dimly what He is doing. We can try to make observations and praise Him (and we should), but we must also realize that God has a design so intricate and vast, that we see and hear but mere whisperings of His greatness and wisdom. But what is hidden now will be made known in eternity. All will be brought to light. Just as the rising of the sun enlightened the golf course so that eventually in the full light of day everything could be seen fully, so eternity will make clear and known all that matters. And with His perspective, seeing the purposeful planning of each moment, we will stand in awe of His kindness  and goodness to us through every ebb and flow of life. 

    Finally, God’s glory in each of these moments and seasons will shine. As we read and study God’s Word, we know this to be true. We know that the “sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). We know that the heights of the sweetness of this world will pale in comparison to the glory there. We know that the depths of sorrow we endure here is actually working for us an eternal glory far beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17). Just as the light that early morning was getting stronger, brighter, more vibrant as the day continued, so His glory, the glory we get to partake in, will shine. He will come in all His glory and we will marvel. 

    We need not lose heart. Our God sees further than we do, and one day His plans will unfold themselves. We can trust our faithful and wise Father, who holds our highs and lows in His hand (Psalm 31:15).