Some days, when we wake up, we dread coming to work.  Other days, we revel in beautiful sunshine and a renewed sense of light.  When there is sun, sometimes we thank God and then move on; often we do nothing and take goodness for granted.

But when all hell breaks loose (no pun intended), we often find ourselves turning to God.  But it seems to me that turning to God only in times of trouble often gives faith a rather negative cast, as if we say, “Uh, oh, here comes trouble--better start praying.”

If we leave God for trouble and take goodness for granted, we’re missing  the constancy of His love.  To know that He is there all the time gives me comfort and courage.  He is the God of the bitter cup and harsh road--Christ tells James and John this.  Ouch.

Being a Christian isn’t easy--James and John find this out.  But being aware of God in darkness and in light evens things out--it tempers good with bad, bad with good.  Rather than asking for favors, as James and John do, we simply are--in God.  We are, in a sense, being full-time Christians, rather than fair- or foul-weather ones.