Mountains and Valleys
I have a friend who was contemplating suicide.
He called a suicide hotline and, thankfully, received some
really good advice.
They told him was to be on the lookout for his next, best
day. And when he was having that day, to write down what was happening around
him and how he was feeling. Then, the next time he contemplated suicide, to
take out that description and remind himself of how wonderful life can be.
I’ve heard the word despair defined like this; being certain
that tomorrow will be no better than today. And because we all have bouts of
despair, it is really good for us to have some way of imagining that things
almost always get better.
This weekend we will celebrate our last Sunday before the
season of Lent. And we will hear this advice in a biblical context. We will see
that one reason many of us have some amazing days, is so that we can be encouraged
on those days that are not so good.
So where are we right now? If we’re in the bowels of
despair, how can we remind ourselves of the good times? If we’re on the
mountaintop, how might we commit to memory the exhilaration of being there?
I’ve heard a pastor say that we’re either headed toward a
crisis, experiencing one, or recovering from one. While this may be a rather
fatalistic description, it does illustrate the cyclical nature of our human
experience.
Cheer up, things get better, there’s plenty to live for. God
is always nearer than we think.