Rain

It’s raining right now. Rain in Southern California. That’s a really good thing. I love the rain. It’s such a welcome change of pace. When it rains, I feel the sense that I need to stay home and cuddle up in a warm blanket. The rains slows us all down. We put off errands for another day when it’s not raining. We drive slow in the rain, so we don’t go skidding off the road. The rain is good.

After the rain, everything feels clean and fresh. It washes off the dust on the sidewalks and on my car. I love that smell after rain. It just smells fresh. The thirsty flowers and plants get a dose of water to help them grow. They desperately need the rain.

And so do we. A believer needs rain in their own life. It’s not always welcome, but it is always needed. The rain comes in the form of challenges, disappointments, or problems we face. We don’t want the rain, but we desperately need it.

The rain in our lives slows us down. When we’re faced with a problem or challenge, that becomes our focus. Everything around it tends to fade into the background. We may fret or fume because of this rain. We may wish it away. But there is a reason for it. Problems in a believer’s life don’t randomly show up. God is fully aware of the rain in your life.

So when the rain comes, slow down. Stop and look to God. Maybe your life has become complacent like mine was last year. I struggled desperately to find a job and couldn’t get one. I felt God had abandoned me. Of course, none of that was true. God never leaves us or forsakes us. But I believed lies the enemy had planted in my brain.

God tells us to “Be still and know that I am God.” That’s what the rain is for-to help you slow down and be still. And after you’ve become still, look to God. Look to Him and remember who He is. Look to Him and remember what He promises us. When you do this, it will combat the lies and then it will calm your soul. When you remember God’s love and tenderness for His people, you won’t be able to help it – you will feel unbelievable peace. The rain may still be there, but now God provides you with an umbrella.