Rainy Days

Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and the chance to honor your mother this past Mother’ Day.

It has been raining here since yesterday afternoon. At times I love a good spring rain and at other times, like yesterday when I was trying to cook on the grill, I find it frustrating. It is with that thought in mind that I would like to talk about the rainy days of life.

Psalm 65:10 (NLT)

You drench the plowed ground with rain,

melting the clods and leveling the ridges.

You soften the earth with showers

and bless its abundant crops.

Just as it is with the weather so it is with life. Every day is not filled with sunshine and blue skies. Many days are cloudy and rain filled, some are even stormy. But have you ever considered the necessity of rainy days?

Without the rain, the farmer’s crops would wither and die. The ground would become hardened beyond usefulness, parched and cracked. Streams, lakes and rivers would no longer be life sustaining and would ultimately return to dry land.

We depend on the rain to help sustain the delicate balance of nature, but what about those rainstorms of life?

Our lives are dynamic and always changing, much like the weather. Like it or not we will all endure rainy seasons within our lives, but the good news is those seasons serve a purpose.

Look at the first sentence of the Psalm, the rain melts the clods and levels their ridges. We are all guilty of being a little hard hearted at times. The hardened soil of our heart is not conducive to fruitful living and so God allows the rains to come. As we endure the rainy season our heart is softened. We become more open to God’s move and direction in our lives and our heart once again becomes fertile ground.

The rains of our lives also nourish what has already been planted. Through the difficult times we become more aware of God’s presence and his unique nature. When we hurt, we learn of God’s comforting power. When we are discouraged, we learn of God’s encouraging presence. When we are beaten down, we understand the unfathomable strength of God. We would never understand the depth of God’s love or the completeness of God’s power, if we did not face the difficulties that come through the rainy seasons of life.

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of life, we neglect our relationship with God. Our souls become parched and well runs dry. The rainy seasons of life, cause us to bring our focus back upon God. We renew our fellowship with Him and in spite of the adversity our soul is quenched.

If you are in a rainy season of life, thank God for his nourishment and nurture. Look forward to the end of the rainy season, because the harvest is just around the corner.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl