A Sunset Can Change Everything!

Guest Blog

In my line of work, I can have some pretty stress-filled days. Residents come in the office upset on a regular basis. They could be bringing in complaints about anything from having a leaky faucet to their noisy neighbors that live above them, and it’s my job to ensure their problems are fixed and that they are happy and feel taken care of when they leave my office. 

One day in particular, I had an inbox full of emails from angry residents; the phones were ringing off the hook and I had a stack of files that never seemed to end. I suddenly felt like I was drowning and had no idea when I was going to come back up for air. I rushed from project to project trying to complete all the work ahead of me as quickly and efficiently as possible, but somehow, it never seemed to be enough. Residents didn’t seem to be any happier and I felt defeated. I clocked out feeling sorry for myself, and couldn’t wait to get home to sulk about my terrible day. I got in the car and began my drive home (which is 30-60 minutes depending on that lovely Southern California traffic), and saw the most beautiful sunset. I tried to ignore it, because I wanted to stay in my sulky state just a bit longer, but I couldn’t.

I pulled off to the side of the road and began to cry. In front of me was this beautiful skyline that only my amazing God could create. I thought about all the cars driving passed me, and wonder how many of them saw the sunset and thought of Him.

How could anyone see such a beautiful thing and not believe in such a big God?

I was reminded of when I was a kid and my dad would lift me up and let me sit on his shoulders. I always felt so special! He let me sit on his shoulders because he knew it would make me happy. I thought my dad was the only man on the planet who had the ability to do this, and I was the coolest, bravest kid for doing it! I looked at the sunset and felt the same way- like my Father painted this picture for me, and no one else on the planet could ever do the same! I was the coolest kid, with a dad who just wanted to make me happy.

On my way home I got a call from a friend who was also having a bad day. She was going through her list of awful things that happened to her and I just kept getting this feeling that I needed to tell her about my sunset. God was pushing me to say something, and like the 10 year old in me always does I would say “but I don’t wanna…” After going back and forth with God, I finally gave in and told her the experience I had just minutes before. Then we had one of those moments, the best moments that God gives, where she saw the same sunset and God showed her the same exact thing as me. I love those moments when God shows me His love and then asks me to show it to someone else.

I have been encouraged more and more to follow God’s nudges to share what God teaches me with others. It always seems so scary at first, but I know that God is not scary! He is a loving Father who just wants to lift me up on His shoulders!  Lissa