Dear Readers,

It was a moonless night. My husband and I were driving on a very windy, dimly lit highway alongside the cliff of a mountain. There was only one narrow lane in each direction, and the oncoming cars were speeding by—far too close for comfort. Many shone bright headlights that blinded our vision. Without warning, the route kept twisting and curving at steep angles. We had to keep our eyes glued to the road so that the car wouldn’t veer off, getting too close to the cliffs on one side or the oncoming traffic on the other.

And then it started raining … but not just any rain. It was a downpour, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Even at the quickest speed, our windshield wipers could barely keep pace to clear the front window. The drive became spine-chilling when it became impossible to see more than a few feet in front of us. I counted down the minutes until we would be in the safety of our home.

Just the other day, we had traveled along this very route. At that time, we weren’t bothered by the narrowness of the road or its curving path. We thought the scenic view was breathtaking and were overcome by the beauty of the stately, picturesque mountains and towering trees. Now in the thick blackness, though, those very same trees looked creepy; those gorgeous mountains, ominous and threatening.

Isn’t that so true with so many areas of our lives as well?

In the daytime of our lives, when we feel successful and positive, we’ll often look at the issues that cross our paths as exciting challenges and new opportunities for us to grow and expand our horizons. But in the dark periods of our lives, as we struggle to make our way through the treacherous storm of strong emotions and life’s harsh difficulties, those very challenges can feel too intimidating, even foreboding.

It’s the same path that we we’re on, but due to the circumstances, our vision has changed.

Sometimes, we can avoid driving in a stormy night. But often, we aren’t able to escape life’s challenges and need to confront them head on.

So, of course, the first practical step is to slow down and proceed with more caution. At the same time, we have to stop fear and worry from paralyzing us. We need to remember that for whatever reason, our Creator put us on this very route. We can take comfort, too, in finding perspective and realizing that the risky drive eventually ends, and our situation will improve.

Tomorrow or the day after, we’ll be on the very same route. But then. it will look a lot more cheery—maybe even absolutely breathtaking.

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Chana Weisberg

Editor, TJW