Rainy Days
“How will I grow, if I never get rained on”
Unspoken, Sleep in the Storm
Lately it has seemed as if the sky has been painted a permanent shade of gray as storm clouds have been continuously rolling in, bringing large amounts of rain with them.
Not only has the weather been a bit rainy, but in the thick of the fall semester, life has proven to bring a little rain of its own. Unexpected circumstances, loss, loneliness, lack of purpose, failure, exhaustion, stress, and everyday frustrations are just some of the few storms that some of us have encountered this rainy season.
What do we do when the rain hits? Typically, we run for cover, stay inside, complain, or put up our umbrellas and trudge through the puddles. We often do the same when life showers us with tests and trials. We avoid challenges, ignore our problems, numb the pain, lash out in anger and frustration, weigh ourselves and those around us down with negativity, or put up our defenses and simply get through it. However, we know that tests are for teaching and that rain encourages growth. So what if we saw trials as opportunities instead of excuses?
I recently experienced a rainy morning of my own when I found out I got a 38 on a test, missed a quiz, stepped in a mud puddle, and wasted an hour and a half waiting for my teacher assistant’s office hours that got changed without my knowledge. Since all of this happened before 10:30 am, I feel like I could have easily just gone back to bed in an attempt to start the day over again. However, despite the many mishaps, I felt at peace, laughed at myself, looked for a solution, and even found myself feeling thankful. What!? That is not me! I was truly experiencing the true joy that comes with placing my hope in Jesus and not in this world. That was growth, and it felt good. Although mornings like those can be frustrating, I would not have had the chance to notice the work God has been doing on my heart without my patience being tested. It’s easy to trust God when the sun is shining, but when the sky begins to darken and the rain starts to fall, it is an opportunity to grow in our faith and trust in Him.
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
God’s power is made perfect in weakness. Without hardships that test our strength, how can we see God’s power at work in our lives? Likewise, how would anything grow without the rain? Next time the rain hits and the trials of life threaten to bring us down, let us be filled with child-like faith as we remember God’s goodness and use the storm as an opportunity to splash in the puddles and look to the sky in awe and celebration as His grace pours down on us. Will it be easy? No. Will it strengthen our faith and grow our understanding of God’s purposes? Absolutely. Thank you, Jesus, for the rain, because through the storm, we can see you!
"Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:10
