RAINY DAYS

Rainy days can kill plans quickly, can’t they? They cancel ball games, hikes, picnics, even outdoor work. Figuratively speaking, rainy days are life’s bad experiences or trying times. We tend to favor sunshine over rain, whether it’s in our hearts or our backyards. But gardeners welcome rainy days as a reprieve from watering. They know that no sprinkler or hose nourishes a flower bed the way God’s rain does. When it falls on plants, rain revives, rejuvenates, and sustains life. It’s just as essential to the growth and health of a plant as the sun is.

No wonder gardeners and farmers pray for rain, but it seems unlikely that we would ever pray for rain in our lives. During rainy seasons, though, we who have parched hearts have the opportunity to soak in God’s Spirit and let Him have His way in us. In fact, such seasons are essential to our growth and health. A good rainy season can awaken us, test us, and turn us to God. And when we do turn to Him, He may stop the rain, shelter us from the worst of it, or remain with us as it pours: His concern is not our comfort, but our growth.

Perhaps clouds are forming in your life, or maybe the downpour has begun. Maybe you’ve been working to build your own shelter from the storm, and those efforts have proven futile. Whatever your situation, invite the Master Gardener to use this season to revive your spirit, grow your character, or renew your strength in unexpected ways. And when the rain subsides, you’ll appreciate even more the brightness of the sunshine.

Lord, we ask for opportunities to grow closer to You. Should they come in the form of a rainy day or rainy season, open our hearts so that we will know, without a doubt, that You are with us. Open our eyes to see how You are growing us in ways we could never have grown otherwise. Help us understand that rainy days are just as essential as sunny ones to our growth in You.

Dianna