Phil On .. 

Always Take the Weather with You*
As a keen walker I always smile when I recall Alfred Wainwright’s comment, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”. How many times do we greet each other upon arrival at church by grumbling about how cold or wet it is outside? We’ve all been caught in a downpour during summer wearing a T-shirt and shorts and, to be fair, that experience is certainly not nice. However, when kitted out in a decent waterproof shell jacket and leggings, walking in heavy rain can be a wonderful experience.  I feel cocooned and protected as I view landscapes from a new perspective. In fact, each and every weather phenomenon is part of God’s creation and something to be celebrated!
 
I have started to read a book by Miranda Hart called, ‘I’ve not been entirely honest with you’. She sets out how slowly she came to terms with a long illness that left her bereft of energy and often unable to get out of bed. She came to the conclusion that she needed to embrace and explore her experience rather than see it as something to be ashamed or something preventing her to move forward in her life. She described her situation as facing a huge boulder stopping her progressing further down the road of her life. She noticed a door that allowed her to explore inside the boulder, face-to-face, all the uncomfortable aspects associated with her predicament. Inside, there was a door to the other side that could be accessed once she had made peace with herself.
 
That made me think of Wainwright’s quote. Could the ‘bad weather’ represent a bad period in our lives when we are consumed by grief or worry? Equally, could the ‘bad clothing’ represent a bad attitude to that situation? As Christians we are told to not only praise God through the good times in our life but also the bad. We are to praise Him when we face challenges because it offers us a chance to trust God and grow in our faith. This is easier said than done, but I was reminded at a recent bible study  that God is a sustainer of His creation. This means sustaining the world as a whole  and sustaining us as individuals. As Christians we have a role to play here in supporting those in difficulties and taking actions to reduce world poverty and impact of climate change. When you next face problems perhaps you can pray to God ‘You are my creator, my sustainer, my King and my father’ and know that He will help you face challenges and emerge stronger on the other side.
 
*The title of this article is borrowed from the name of a tune sung by the pop rock band Crowded House. It’s not a Christian song as far as I am aware, but I find it uplifting. Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag8XcMG1EX4.