I have swept away your offences like a cloud.  Your sins are like the morning mist.  Return to me, for I have redeemed you.  Isaiah 42:22

For twenty-five years, my husband and I lived in Georgia in the Atlanta region.  These were beautiful years in many ways, however, in some ways they were very trying and difficult years.  On many occasions, we would get in our vehicle and drive to the mountains north of the city to find a few moments of solitude and peace.

The closer we drew to the mountains, the more beautiful the fog that hung over these lovely creations.  Sometimes the mist would completely surround our automobile and we could barely see as we went around the curvy mountainous roads.  It could be a bit disconcerting and disorienting if it lasted too long, and yet we always came out on the other side of the mist.  Once there the view would be spectacular up ahead!

It was in some of our most trying times that a drive through the mountains was what brought us back to reality.  It was what gave us hope that a better day was coming.

For the past couple of days, I have had this scripture in Isaiah 42:22 on my heart.  Sometimes is seems we are so caught up in the cloudy, misty, scenarios of life that we lose our perspective.

It could be that we are struggling with relationship issues; so often we want to blame the other person rather than taking responsibility for our own shortcomings and failures.  It is so much easier to point out what the other party is doing wrong than to “man/woman up” and simply say, “I’m sorry, I was wrong.”

It could be that we are struggling with life changes that we may be going through.  Perhaps we loose a loved one unexpectedly, or we must sell a beloved home, or transition to a new job or location.  Or, one of the most difficult things in life is to watch our spouse or child doing something that is potentially destructive with their life.  It could be the use of harmful chemicals such as drugs or alcohol; it may be bad choices in relationships, which we can perhaps see are taking them down a wrong path.  Or, it may even just be unwise decisions regarding career choices, college, an unplanned pregnancy, or any number of life situations.

So often, we want to help, to “fix” the problems; but so often, we only wind up making matters worse in spite of our good intentions.

There comes a time in each individual’s life that they must learn to rely on God to help and it is only if we are willing to let go and let God do His refining work in their lives that this can come about.

The mists of life, the offences we experience, whether we are the one who is at fault, or we are the one who has been impacted, are often beyond our ability to control.  It is in these times that we must return to Him, give Him our offenses, and trust Him to sweep them away like the morning mist.

It is a choice.

The good news is, already, we have been redeemed!