Storm Clouds Ahead: When Your Attitude Needs a Shift
by Christine Drews
It had been a long week—heavy and draining. Not everything was negative: impromptu water-balloon tosses and a Diet Coke-and-Mentos experiment offered small doses of joy that kept perspective intact as I navigated harder parts of life. I had declined a work project because of deeply held convictions, and I knew that decision carried consequences. At home, relationships felt strained; tensions hovered over ordinary moments. I hadn’t had a moment alone in days and felt suffocated. I needed to get out and breathe.
I planned a Saturday morning bike ride and even set my cycling shorts out the night before so I wouldn’t be tempted to stay in bed. I woke early to rain, but after a lively, wakeful hour I decided to go despite the showers. A slice of peanut-butter toast and half a banana later, I was out the door and ready for what felt like therapy on two wheels.
I took a new, more challenging route. Cyclists in full gear, parents walking dogs, and neighbors out for a morning stroll smiled and waved—everyone seemed glad to be out on a rare cool summer morning. Storm clouds were building, and I stopped at the top of a hill to take a picture. In my rearview mirror the sky was blue and bright; ahead, dark clouds gathered. The image matched my mood: blue skies behind me, storm clouds ahead. I told myself I needed to keep going and persevere.
Then it struck me: I could have turned my bike and framed the scene the other way—storm clouds behind me, sunshine ahead. Why had I assumed the worst and let it weigh on me? Yes, storms had come through recently, and surely more challenges would follow. But why focus on those clouds instead of the present beauty—the laughter from water-balloon fights, the silly Diet Coke bottle rockets, the smiles of people passing by? Dozens of friendly faces had just greeted me. Why weren’t they part of the picture I had in my head?
God brought Philippians 4:8 to mind: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Two verses earlier I had read, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” I couldn’t help but smile at how the two passages fit together.
Would I allow myself to be burdened by approaching clouds, or would I choose to focus on truth and beauty? Would I give in to worry or instead lay my anxieties at Jesus’ feet with prayer and thanksgiving?
I rode home with that question turning in my mind. When I arrived, I found the first bloom of a morning glory in my garden. Its bright, unexpected beauty felt like a small confirmation of a needed attitude shift. I smiled and felt lighter.
by Christine Drews
Click here to read Chris’ Trusting in God series.
- Storm Clouds Ahead: When Your Attitude Needs a Shift
- Storm Clouds Ahead: How to Prepare for the Storm