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Emotional Fog; Spiritual Fog; Wengen; Grief

In a Fog?

November 13, 2015

Have you ever arrived at a new location in the midst of a dense, heavy fog? Perhaps you can decipher a few signs, but that’s about it. Noises might seem magnified but you can see little about your surroundings. The uncertainty can be unsettling.
 
That happened to me years ago on a visit to Wengen, a quaint little village in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland. It’s a charming, bucolic spot, accessible only by cog-wheel railroad. There are no automobiles in the village.
 
We had taken a late-afternoon train to Wengen, arriving in the midst of extremely heavy fog. As we walked around the village before dinner, we heard hundred of bells ringing. What could be the source?  It was far too many bells to be just a church carillon. 
 
The fog restricted our view and shrouded the answer. Eventually, the puzzle was solved. We realized that it was dinnertime, and that a seemingly unending stream of dairy cows was heading in for supper. A beautiful old bell hung around each cow’s neck, and as the cows moseyed to their respective barns, the “bovinity symphony” was created.  It was rich, resonant, and exquisitely beautiful.
 
Emotional and spiritual “fogs” in our lives can be just as real as that foggy afternoon in Wengen was for me. These longer-lasting fogs have many causes: grief, exhaustion, a repeated pattern of sin, a major life change, physiological changes (every 50-something woman is saying “amen”), and a host of other issues and circumstances.
 
In Wengen, we were walking on the village streets and there was little risk involved, even though we could barely see our hands in front of our faces. But in a time of emotional or spiritual fog, the dangers of a wrong step can be much more severe.
 
I’ve been in all three types of fog, and here are some of the lessons I have learned:
 

  • Be careful to stay within the guardrails. Often, when we are in a fog, it’s easy to forget our moral compass and compromise our values.  Sometimes it’s because we are trying to numb our pain. Sometimes it’s because our guard is down and we are more vulnerable due to exhaustion or grief. And if we veer off the path, it can be very painful and difficult to get back on track.
  • Have a buddy. Accountability is important at every season of life, but none moreso than when we’re in a fog. Make sure you have at least one person with whom you are completely honest about your struggles and allow them to speak truth into your life.
  • If you can’t see the way ahead, be sure to listen well. For me, that means listening for the voice of God through Scripture, through friends, through prayer, even through sensing His still small voice saying “this is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)
  • When you’ve safely made it through your fog, be sure to circle back and help someone else who is in a similar fog. Share the lessons you have learned. Perhaps, even share the mistakes. By vulnerably sharing your story, you might help someone else stay out of the ditch.
  • Remember that the fog won’t last forever. It’s easy to think that the fog will never lift. That circumstances will never change. But the fog will lift. Just keep putting one foot in front of another and doing the next right thing. You’ll see.

 
The thick fog in Wengen continued into the evening. The next morning, I flung open the curtains in the hotel room, expecting to see more “pea soup.” Much to my surprise and delight, this is the breathtaking view that I witnessed for the first time. Amazing.

                                                                       
 
Life can be like that, too. One day, you might be in a heavy fog. The next day, the fog lifts and you are awed by the beauty, joy and love that is surrounding you.
 
Don’t lose heart.
 
Even if you don’t understand the “whys” of what’s happening right now…even if you don’t feel a glimmer of hope, be encouraged by this truth: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
 
You can trust God with your future, with your todays and your tomorrows. This is a promise you can count on. It’s as rock-solid as the Swiss Alps. And every bit as beautiful.