“It’s easier to rest when it’s cloudy…”
Has anyone else had this thought? I recently did and it solidified something I’ve felt for a long time.
You see, it was one of those days where they sky kept fluctuating between being completely cloudy in one moment and completely sunny in the next. I was still figuring out what to do with my afternoon, whether to be really productive or just sit around in my sweatpants and t-shirt. As I sat at my desk, observing the weather from my windows, I started to enter a state of rest and calm as the clouds took over. Then as soon as the sun came out, my attitude changed and I immediately felt like I had to get up and do something. This change occured so naturally and quickly, and that’s when the thought popped into my head: It’s easier to rest when it’s cloudy.
Why is that?
This idea especially sticks out more living here in Southern California, where the sun beats out the clouds most of the year, so when a cloudy day does roll around, it’s a bit more of a rarity. While I’m sure there are plenty of explanations as to why this feeling occurs, both scientific and allegorical, the revelation I had about this is not necessarily scientific or allegorical, but more-so spiritual.
You see, when the clouds roll out and take over, it almost feels like God is laying a blanket over your day, like He’s saying, “I know you have things to do, but come and rest with Me”. There’s something profound to that. When the sun is out and shining, there’s a brightness and energy that calls us to get out there and seize the day. But sometimes, God wants to just get the blanket out and have us rest with Him instead. Whether the rest is physical or mental, it can cause us to contemplate and focus on various aspects of our life creatively, personally and spiritually. At least for me, this seems to be the case. I begin to feel a certain sense of security and calm that I don’t necessarily feel when it’s just bright and sunny.
Of course, our lives still carry on and are not just dictated by the weather. Just like what I said about living in Southern California, there’s places where it’s mostly sunny and other places where it’s mostly cloudy. All in all, I suppose this is a call from God for us to embrace each day and its unique nature with Him and to not always view it merely as an unaffecting bystander.
So the next time a cloudy day rolls around for you, instead of just ignoring it or allowing a feeling of gloom and boredom to rise up, try and look at it as God’s way of putting a blanket over your day and rest with Him, whatever that may look like.
When we say yes to rest, He refills our hearts.
Photo By: Matthew Freres