Clouds in Your Life

Dearest Ones, Has a cloud come into your life? Has sorrow come to your home? Are you lost, lonely and afraid? Your first impulse might be to give up, and sit down in the middle of your shattered hopes and dreams. But you must not do it. Other lives may be harmed. In 1972, during the Vietnam War, Life magazine had a cover picture of a naked Vietnamese child running down a street, her body on fire. She was on fire because a napalm bomb had been dropped on the village where she lived. The image of Kim, running naked became one of the most haunting images of the War. This picture changed the way the entire world looked at the war. After 14 months in the hospital and 17 surgeries, Kim was able to return home. Because of the agony Kim endured and the help she received, she decided to become a doctor. Today she is a doctor in Canada helping those who have had great trauma in their lives. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she now helps others who have pain and suffering. She secured medical treatment for a Canadian soldier, who lost both arms in the Iraq war. If she had not had clouds of pain and tragedy in her life, Kim probably would not be helping others today. Through the kindness of a pastor, she converted to Christianity and she converted her family, too. She is now working to make the whole world Christian, as God intended. This is what she has to say about forgiveness: "Forgiveness made me free from hatred. I still have many scars on my body and severe pain most days but my heart is cleansed. The napalm bomb is very powerful; but faith, forgiveness and love are much more powerful. We would not have war at all if everyone could learn how to live with true love, hope and forgiveness." - Kim Phuc Sorrow leaves deep scars. The scars may be forever on our hearts. We never really get over great grief and we may never be the same but many times good comes from it if we allow it to do so. Is there something dark and full of dread in your life right now? Be content to accept things that you cannot understand, wait patiently. Do not be afraid to enter into the cloud that has entered your life. God is in it. "Beloved, do not be surprised at the ordeal that has come to test you . . . you are sharing what Christ suffered; so rejoice in it." (1 Peter 4:12) When you seem lonely and most forsaken, God is there. He is in the darkest cloud. God can make us stronger than our circumstances. In God's strength we can do all things. God promised the fruits of the Spirit to all those enduring suffering. These precious fruits are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness - and some of these grow only when we are in the dark cloud of suffering. One of the most pitiful scenes in all the Bible is the one of our Savior answering not a word when those around him were lying about him, laughing at him and terrorizing Him. He was silent under the darkest clouds, when he could have destroyed them all with His divine power. May God give to us this silent power. Then, they tied his hands behind his back and plucked his beard - but he still answered not a word. Then they spit in his face, dragged him from his place, but Jesus held his peace. Has someone slighted you, ignored you, or tormented you? May the face of Christ, alone and terrified, console you. Pray for the grace to be silent. If we never had anyone to forgive, how would we ever be like Jesus? When we walk in the darkness of a cloud-covered sky, the temptation is there to go ahead of God, instead of waiting for God's time to lift the clouds. This upsets God's plans. We must not try to get out of a dark place, except in God's time. Just commit the whole situation to Him. Be willing to stay in darkness so long as you know He's there with you. It is better to walk in the dark with God than to walk in the light without Him. Dear Lord, Thy will, not mine, is always best. Love and prayers, Sister Francelle