GARY MILLER
Bring on the cold and dreary days of winter!
Have you noticed while everyone else is enjoying the beautiful fall days, the hunter is crying “bah humbug”? It seems every day, lately, someone is sharing their thankfulness for the sunny and unusually warm days. Outwardly I am rejoicing with them, but inwardly I am shouting “Bring on the cold and dreary days of winter!” Hunters know the best days for deer to stir seem to be when the weather is bad. I have hunted in snow, rain, and sleet and have done it with more anticipation and success than during the days of sunshine and warmth. Yes, it takes more planning and more equipment and more effort, but knowing the deer will be there, makes it all worthwhile. And then there’s the thought of knowing while all of the “fair weather” hunters are at home in their recliner, I am out in the frozen tundra proving a country boy can survive.
Let me tell you that life is the same way. Even though God may move in our lives during the good times, the real movement happens when our days are dreary and cold. It seems most of us give God very little attention when things are going well. But when there is a cloud over our day, we look to him. So, God must bring storms into our lives. He doesn’t do it because he likes to see us struggle. He does it because that’s when we can best see him move. Are you in a storm right now? Has your sunny fall weather turned into an overcast and cold day? One of my favorite verses in the Bible says this. “The Lord has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.” (Nahum 1:3 NKJV) This reminds me that my dreary and difficult days are not a sign of the absence of God, but of his overwhelming presence. I hope you will recognize his footprints during your storm. They may not lead you to a better day, but they will let you know someone is in the storm with you.
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• Gary has three books that are compilations of the articles he has written for nearly 15 years. He also speaks at game dinners and men’s groups for churches and associations. You can contact him at gary@outdoortruths.org.
