Light at the End of the Tunnel
Apparently the third Monday in January is meant to be the most depressing day of the year, though I have heard mention of it a couple of weeks even earlier. The theory is that the weather + debt + time since Christmas, combined with failure of new year resolutions all snowballs together with ‘that Monday morning feeling’ and it becomes too much.
There are many who don’t like Mondays and having to get back to routine after the freedom of the weekend, but there are many others for whom life is a much bigger struggle. For those suffer from depression, it is no joke, and life, not just today, can be one black cloud. For others there is just nothing in their lives that brings any ray of hope. People are living with hunger, injustice and pain. There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.
It is into this though that God still promises that light WILL come. One day. The light is there, whether we can feel it or not.
Isaiah 9:1-4 (CEV)
9 But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain. The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the Jordan River and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.
War Is Over
2 Those who walked in the dark
have seen a bright light.
And it shines upon everyone
who lives in the land
of darkest shadows.
3 Our Lord, you have made
your nation stronger.
Because of you, its people
are glad and celebrate
like workers at harvest time
or like soldiers dividing up
what they have taken.
4 You have broken the power
of those who abused
and enslaved your people.
You have rescued them
just as you saved your people
from Midian.
There are those that subscribe to the belief of, ‘become a Christian and life will run smoothly’. I am not one of those – but I do believe that God is there loving us, whether we can feel it or not; he is there holding us, long before we realise; he is holding everything together, when we cannot. And the light will come.
The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. It shines on those who live even in the darkest shadows. Power, pain and abuse will be broken by God – that is his promise. And I believe that promise. I believe it for I have found it to be true. In the depths of the darkness, in the blanket of despair, the light of God is ready to shine.
Sometimes there is nothing else to hold on to…
Lord
where there is pain
come;
where there is despair
come;
where there is injustice
come;
where there is hatred
come;
where there is darkness
come.
Come,
bring your light
your spark
to places of deep darkness
and long shadow.
Bring light,
bring hope,
bring peace.
And this says it all
Pam's Perambulation 
I’m reminded of Puddleglum who burned his feet stamping out the bonfire whilst proclaiming that the Narnian sun, even it it _was_ only imagination, was far more real than the dim artificial light shining overhead.