Treasures in the Darkness
A recent church sermon left such a positive mark on my mind and heart that I felt the need to share. There is a small church nestled in a bedroom community called the Vineyard Church in Brownsburg Indiana. A powerful message was delivered by a mighty but small in stature, Pastor Gwen Roy. Pastor Gwen, the wife of Pastor Dennis calmly delivered a thought provoking message about having gratitude over grumbling. Without getting too deep into the religious weeds (which I am woefully unqualified to comment) the parallel was made of the Israelites being rescued from Egypt but quickly “grumbling” about being tired, thirsty and hungry during their miraculous escape. Basically, they said, “Hey God, thanks for parting the Red Sea and all, but where’s the air conditioning, Gatorade and Cheetos?
I have replayed Pastor Gwen’s message over and over because without any hesitation I have absolutely grumbled when I should have been grateful. I have failed to see the “Treasures in the Darkness.” I don’t think I am the only person who fails to see the good in otherwise difficult situations. Between human nature, movies, songs, social media and who knows what else, we are repeatedly shown how unfair life can be. Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook can flood us with messages about how we deserve better in our relationships, our families, our work. It’s about me, it’s about my feelings and letting the world know how I/we have been treated unfairly, unjustly, unsomethingly. (yes, I just made up that…