some days just aren't as bright

I bought solar Edison bulb lights for the back porch. I've had white Christmas lights up as accent lighting for a few years and they were brighter than I wanted. Plus Edison bulbs look cooler. They are the in thing and anyone who knows me is aware that I am all about staying up with the newest designs. (jk, I don't even know where to look for what's trendy unless one of my kids informs me.) 

Jonathan hung them for me. I wasn't impressed with their brightness or staying power. The two strands he spliced together were bright for about 30 minutes, then they barely gave off any light and the strand that was by itself was feeble for 30 minutes then done. 
I talked to him about them and he suggested getting a stronger rechargeable battery. Duh. I didn't even know they had a rechargeable battery or that stronger was possible. But it is! And it made a huge difference. They light up just the right amount to be fun but not blinding. They last a couple of hours. I've been so pleased.

Yesterday was gray and overcast. All day. The lights that have been shining bright were very dim. And they didn't last long. The following scripture came to mind and I have let it simmer since last night:

 "He will not cry out or shout

or make his voice heard in the streets. 

He will not break a bruised reed,

and he will not put out a smoldering wick;"

from Isaiah 42:2-3

Take away:

Yesterday was a dark day. The sun was still the sun, with all of the power it always has, but clouds got in the way and prevented the lights from absorbing the amount of power they have been able to gather with the sunny days we've been experiencing. But they did their best. They took in as much as they were able to access. 

We all have dark days. Times when heartache, grief, struggles, problems, hard times, etc. cloud our vision. Times when we know that God and the Son are still where they always are and they still have the same power they always have. But it's hard to see it. It's difficult to absorb it. Even when we sit in His presence, we just don't get as much light. We take in as much as we are able to, but we know that at one time we took in more of Him and our lives shined brighter and we were more able to be a light in the darkness. It's easy to get discouraged. 

Guess what. 

If you are in a cloudy season, that's okay.

And the good news, the best news?

God loves us. 

Lavishly.

He sees.

He knows.

He cares.

And when we are in a season of barely being able to shine, He doesn't shame us or disown us. He doesn't shout and He doesn't condemn. He doesn't expect more than we are capable of. 

He comes alongside us.

And He keeps shining, as He always does. 

One day the clouds will part.

One day we will be able to absorb more.

One day we will shine bright again as we reflect His power and light.

But for now, He simply wants us to sit and absorb what we can.

Even if our "light" flickers rather than blazes, He loves us.

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:2-4