Fog On The Mountain
Welcome!
I’m glad you’re here today. Psalm 119:50 has been on my heart this week: “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” We all carry burdens, some visible, some hidden, and yet here is a reminder that God’s promises breathe life into weary places. In this edition, I want to reflect on how His steady word can be like a compass in the fog, guiding us when we can’t see the way forward.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee, take a deep breath, and come along with me on this reflection.
What I’m Thinking
“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” —Psalm 119:50
Affliction has a way of narrowing our vision. It can feel like walking in a fog, where once-familiar paths disappear into the gray. In suffering, whether grief, anxiety, illness, or the weariness of depression, life feels unmarked, and every step forward seems uncertain. We long for comfort, for direction, for some way of knowing that our steps are not wasted.
Many of us reach for whatever is closest at hand. Distractions, busyness, and escapes promise a kind of temporary relief, but their compass spins wildly, pointing nowhere true. They soothe for a moment, but leave us no closer to steady ground.
The psalmist, however, names another source of comfort: “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.”
At first glance, it seems too slight. How could words on a page stand against the weight of sorrow? But these are not ordinary words. They are the living promises of God—unchanging, eternal, trustworthy. They are not mere counsel; they are coordinates. They point true north, no matter the fog.
The Big Thought about God
God’s promises orient us. They tether us to what is real and steady when everything else shifts. His word does not wander with moods or circumstances. It is fixed. It is faithful. And when we allow His promises to guide us, we discover that they do more than comfort us. They give us life.
Faith, Mental Health, and the Steady Hand
Mental health struggles often distort our internal compass. Anxiety convinces us that danger is always near. Depression insists that life holds no meaning. Grief persuades us that hope will never return. These voices bend our direction, leaving us circling in the mist.
But God’s promises cut through the distortion. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” “I know the plans I have for you.” These words steady the needle. They remind us that affliction does not define us, nor does it get the final word. His promises point toward hope, even when the path itself is hidden from sight.
A Metaphor for the Heart
“The compass does not clear the fog, but it does something better. It points true. It quietly insists on a direction when sight alone would fail us.”
I think of a hiker caught in mountain fog. The trail vanishes in front of him. Every rock and tree looks the same. Left to his own sense of direction, he would wander in circles until exhaustion set in. But he carries a compass. The compass does not lift the fog, but it points true.
God’s promises are that compass. They do not always remove affliction, but they always guide us toward Him. To follow them is to walk by faith, not sight. The way forward may be slow, one cautious step at a time, but the heart knows it is not wandering aimlessly. It is moving, however haltingly, toward home.
Walking It Out
This is where Scripture becomes more than words in a book. When fear takes hold, we recall Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you… I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” When confusion clouds our days, we cling to Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good for those who love God.”
These promises do not erase the fog, but they direct our steps through it.
The writer of Lamentations, standing among ruins, declared: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” (Lam. 3:21-22). He did not see the way clear, but he trusted the compass of God’s faithfulness.
So it is with us. The fog may linger, the trail may remain hidden, but God’s promises point true north. And that is our comfort: “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.”
A Question for You
What promise of God serves as your compass right now, helping you take the next step through the fog?
A Closing Prayer
Lord, in the fog of my own struggles, steady me with Your promises.
When my thoughts wander in circles, point me true.
When fear clouds my vision, remind me You are near.
Let Your word be my compass, guiding me step by step,
until at last I walk into the clear light of Your presence.
Amen.
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📸 Photo Credit
Photo by Craig Hamrick
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This content is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional counseling or mental health support.
Thank you, Jim for your spiritual support and encouragement….always.