Rain

"Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." (John 15:2)

The last couple days it has been raining on and off all day. While I tend to think around the rain (What will we do today inside? Is there somewhere we could go? Are the boys going to get bored?), my boys run upstairs for their rain jackets and rubber boots and try to find the biggest puddle to jump in and the longest worms they can find. They meet what the day has brought head on. While I'm wondering how we're going to work around it, they're rejoicing in the rain.

It's a good reminder to me. I know as adults, not everything is as easy as puddles and worms--to turn a rainy day into fun is a lot easier than turning tragedy or burden into rainbows and sunshine. But watching my boys the last couple days has given me perspective, again, on how we should look toward the brighter side of things. That through each storm, growth happens. And how when we're on the other side of it, our days seem sweeter than before. But even more importantly, God dwells among us, catches us, and surrounds us with his peace in these times and it is then that we know we could never do this life without Him.

"Every person and every nation must endure lessons in God's school of adversity. In the same way we say, "Blessed is the night, for it reveals the stars to us," we can say, "Blessed is sorrow, for it reveals God's comfort." A flood once washed away a poor man's home and mill, taking with it everything he owned in the world. He stood at the scene of his great loss, brokenhearted and discouraged. Yet after the waters had subsided, he saw something shining in the riverbanks that the flood had washed bare. "It looks like gold," he said. And it was gold. The storm that had impoverished him made him rich. So it is oftentimes in life." (Henry Clay Trumbull)

Rain is so sweet to the mature plant, yet can wash a seed down river if it's not yet fully rooted. Find your strength in Him today and let Him carry you. He is near.

Heavenly Father,
I praise you for the rain. I praise you for slowing us down every once in awhile with a good storm. Give us faith that this, too, shall pass and that in our time of waiting we put our hope in you.
In Your Name,
Amen.