The sun was setting in the west over the mountains. Half of the orb had already dipped beneath the ridge. In a few minutes, the whole sun disappeared behind the still-glowing mountain range.

Then darkness began to set in on all sides. The light of the sun was gradually receding, and it seemed as if the whole area would be plunged into pitch darkness. But just then, another light began to ascend. It was the full moon, ascending in the east as the sun was setting in the west. In a short while, the whole scene was lit up again. Not long after the eclipse of the sunlight, the earth was illuminated anew.

“This is a sign of nature,” I thought to myself. “When one possibility ends, another begins. When the sun set, the moon came to give light to the world.”

So, for individuals and nations, there is always hope. If one falls victim to the hand of fate, there is no need to be discouraged. There is no cause for despair in this world of God. By grasping fresh opportunities and utilizing them, one can arise again. All one has to do is go about one’s task in an intelligent manner, and never give up trying.

God has created this world full of wonderful opportunities. Here, when matter perishes, it becomes energy; when darkness comes, a new light emerges from its depths; when one building falls, it leaves a place for another construction. So it is with events in the life of man. From every failure emerges the chance of new success. The same applies to rival nations. If one nation becomes advanced, while another remains backward, that is not the end of the matter. When this happens, another process begins: the advanced nations develop a love of comfort and luxurious living, which is likely, in the long run, to bring about its decadence and downfall while a new spirit of struggle and endeavour rises in the people of the backward nation to lead them on to greater heights.

This means that no one needs to lose heart in this world of God. However uncompromising circumstances may seem, they contain, somewhere or another, the possibility of triumph for man. What one should do is seek out this possibility and use it to turn one’s defeat into victory. Just remember that every dark cloud has a silver lining.

Source: Living in Hope