The kids were quietly playing as I folded clothes and talked to my nephew. It had been a slow peaceful morning. Suddenly a rumbling thunder disrupted the calm. What joy! To my knowledge that sound has never held so much promise as it did this morning. We need the rain so badly. Unfortunately we still haven't had any.
Have you ever noticed that rain is always a bad thing in cartoons? Its always portrayed as raining and dark when the bad guy takes over, yet its sunny and beautiful when all is right in the world again. Being in a drought will definitely change that perspective. We need the rain to survive. Every person who has attempted to keep a garden this summer will let you know just how dependent we are on it.
My mind went to this verse, "In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust." Matthew 5:45 (GWT) I used to think of this verse as talking about trials in reference to the rain. Maybe it is, but notice that "He lets rain fall..." There is a popular Christian song right now that asks the question, "what if your blessings come through rain drops?" I believe the answer is yes.
Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 "so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know."
James tells us in his writings to count it all joy when we face trials.
I think trials are like rain. We often get tired of them, just as we do rain during the wettest seasons. They often ruin our life plans like the rain ruins our outdoor fun. However, without trials we will not grow any more than our garden grew this year. Sure it grew some, but it, like many others, was stunted and short lived. Conversely, we will end up stunted and short lived if we never face trials.
When you are going through a time of trials remember this verse: "For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;" Hebrews 6:7 (NASB)
When the time comes, find a reason to be thankful for your trials, and bring forth vegetation to spiritually feed those around you. You will discover that you also reap blessings from God!
Lord, please help us to see the raindrops in our lives as Your blessings falling from Heaven! Thank you, for letting us be rained on in order to produce vegetation for those in you intend us to minister around us. May our trials bring glory and honor to Your Name. Amen!
