You Mean I’m Supposed to Rejoice?

Rain-kissed Roses in my front yard .

Oh, I know I am going to hate myself for using this cliche, so please forgive me but consider yourself warned: when it rains it pours! Doesn’t it seem that way sometimes? Today I heard the rumbling of thunder and enjoyed the sound of rain. I don’t understand why people get so uptight about rainy days because to me they are glorious. Rainy days give me a green light to curl up with a good book, steamy cup of tea in my relaxed “Thinker’s” pose as I ponder away the deeper things in life or stare into space. Even if I have to go out in the rain – I accept it as easy as sunshine. Why wouldn’t I? After all both come from the same source. If I question “Why?” for every rainy day or negative circumstance shouldn’t I also question the same way for every good thing that God allows to touch my life? Every loss I can count as gain in the end because I know that God will not allow anything in my life to be wasted. He is a most economical God. And he could teach the greenest of Green a few things on efficiency because he wastes nothing in the realm of circumstance. If it touches my life there is purpose. If it has touched your life God will teach you something, grow you and take you through it. What is my part and yours? It is to see the sunshine in the rain. It is to bring your own sunshine with you wherever you go. It can be done only as we yield and accept all as filtered through the hands of a faithful, loving God. He can be nothing less than what He is. Only believe. You think this is fluff?

Not so friend. Name your pain. You are wondering why God isn’t coming through the way you expected, planned or desired? You doubt if he has heard your prayers. You think he has forgotten you? You believe you are beyond help with some struggle or sin? Well, I will tell you what I have told many as a Personal Trainer when a client backslides, slips up, or just plain blows it with their efforts. As long as you have breath, there is hope. Sometimes I would say, as they stood on the scale staring at the poundage:

“Is it a tombstone?”

No, it’s a scale. It is not permanent, then. It is temporary. Changeable. Just like your circumstance that needs to be addressed. God is the Author of Change and Hope. The beauty of it is, we are woven into the very fabric of His story. He is making us beautiful in His eyes. It costs. It cost Him his very life’s Blood. It buys freedom that no one can take away from us. My friend, Rejoice. The same one that brings the rain, brings the sunshine. So jump in the puddles, Rejoice and bring a friend along. Remind one another that when the rain comes it brings new life with it. For that which has weathered the storm is left both resilient and beautiful.

Passages to Ponder: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Philippians 1:18-19; 4:4, Colossians 1:19, 2 Timothy4:18, Hebrews 5:8-10; 10:23-24, 1 Peter 1:3; 3:3-4, Job 1:21