You Keep The Sunshine, Save Me The Rain

Have you ever felt like the world is about to come crashing down around you? I feel like the more I read and learn, the more disillusioned I become about the fate of humanity as a whole. It seems almost as if we are programmed as a species towards self-destruction. I know that's a fairly pessimistic stance to take, but lately that's how I've been feeling about life on this little rock we call home. From the current ecological disaster in Japan, to the massive revolutions and civil war occurring in the Middle East, our world appears to be in shambles. War, famine, and disease run rampant throughout much of the Third World. Among the developed nations, social issues (poverty, homelessness), corruption, and government repression become more visible every day. So, in this mindset, contemplating life, humanity, and the meaning of it all, I began to talk a walk across campus to clear my head. I find that pondering and meandering often work a wonderful combination upon my state of mind. I found myself walking along some of Eastern's ponds, admiring the blooming trees and enjoying the nice weather, though still preoccupied with the fairly dark thoughts rumbling around in my head. Finally I look up, and see the most beautiful sunset. Streaks of light orange and pink stretched across the sky, broken only by the soft bruise-purple underbellies of the clouds. It was absolutely stunning. As I walked slowly across the athletic fields and watched the sun go down, a thought struck me: God is still in control. If He can instill such beauty, such majesty in a mere sunset- one small aspect of His work, then surely He must have a plan for the rest of His creation. All thoughts of strife and suffering were instantly banished from my mind. Now, I will be the first to admit that I'm not the most devout Christian. Lately, I seem to find myself denying God at almost every turn. Sooner or later, it gets to the point where I feel separated from Him, alone and lost. To be honest, sometimes I rejoice in this newfound independence. Mostly however, I simply feel apathetic, broken, and weak. Yet without fail, something always happens to bring me back to Him. Whether through a talk with a friend, an astounding worship experience, a Scripture that jumps out at me, or (more commonly) through witnessing an act of His creation, I get back on track. College has been a challenge for me, academically, socially, and spiritually. Yet no matter what happens, I know that God has a plan for me. Just as a sunset is a reminder to me of how beautiful and powerful our Creator is, so should we be shining examples of how loving and gracious our God is.