Only to find the source isn't there. And unfortunately, you are dependent on someone else to fix it, even if your brother is an electrician, you are still "stuck" in the dark.
I thought long and hard over this yesterday.
And again last night as my husband and I gathered around the woodstove in the barn under camp lights. Thank you Jesus I am married to a hunter. I had all of the accommodations necessary to stay warm, dry, and comfortable in the middle of an ugly storm when the power is out.
We talked about what it looks like for people who for instance live in a city and haven't got a barn outside their home with a heat source. We talked about what it looks like for someone who simply cannot afford electricity or has fallen behind. We talked about the blessings in the mess we were in. And in those blessings, there were many!
The power was predicted to be back on by 7:30 pm. At 7:30 when we saw nothing I told my husband, as we were both exhausted, we needed to call it a night and grab a few extra blankets and get to bed. It wasn't as though it would make a difference if I was awake when the power came on or not, and we both needed sleep after a long day.
Before I drifted off, and I'm not going to sugar coat it, it was quick! I began saying my prayers, as I was abundantly grateful for the way the day unfolded, in spite of how it began.
It began with waking to no power, which later came on. It began with being "locked-in" because of snowdrifts, which later were taken care of. It began with letting the office know I wouldn't be in, and then later arriving. It began with GAH looking at this mess and then pausing to see no damage, no one hurt, and our home intact.
At the end of the day, I said THANK YOU. Thank you for being faithful in taking care of us. Thank you for directing my heart to see the blessings in the messes.
I thought about this too. What it's like when we don't have LIGHT in our lives. Sure, our power was out and yes, that is an inconvenience ~ something we had no control over. However, what about when we do have control over how much "light" we let in and choose not to? I mean, I could have completely focused on the mishaps yesterday and not the blessings. Which, indeed would have made my day much darker. I chose, intentionally chose, to seek the LIGHT so that my day wasn't as dark. I've said it before and I'll say it a bazillion more times in my lifetime, I do not know how people survive day to day, or even moment to moment without Jesus in their lives.
Yesterday was another amazing example of why I chose a relationship with Jesus, because in a dark world... HE brings me light.
I choose the LIGHT of the world, every moment of every single day.
"When He, the Sprit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" John 16:13