Rain...bows

After having lived in BC for almost 21 years, I still complain about the rain. I didn’t even officially own an umbrella until a few years ago. Even then, it seemed that I was living in denial when the rain came. I’d leave my umbrella in the closet – never to be used. What’s with that?

For me, rainy days seem to bring out any negative thoughts that are floating around in my mind. If there’s any lack of motivation to surface…surface it will on rainy days. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe it’s the darkness of the clouds that veil the sunshine. Or maybe it’s the steady pour of water that feels like it takes away all possibility of leisure. (Although I have seen people walking and jogging in those downpours and it doesn’t seem to bother them – go figure!)

I have been known for making all kinds of excuses for not going out in the rain. Too cold, too wet, too dreary. According to whom? When I’m indoors, I catch myself saying, “What nasty weather, I can’t wait for it to be over!” Is it really that bad?

Then, I realize that God sometimes allows us to "feel" the weather of seasons for a reason. I've always seen rain as just that....plain ol' rain...wet, cold, dark clouds, limiting....kind of depressing. Here's how I think God sees it. Showers of mercy and grace, hope, cleansing, new life. Ok, so that's why BC is so green! I think that we need the rain to be reminded that God showers us with His constant love, mercy and grace every single day. He washes us off, giving us the opportunity to give Him our all - the struggles, the fears, the joys. But, what about the pouring part? God POURS His affections on us. Ok, the dark, ominous looking clouds? Well, I think that we may feel like we’re in the darkness, but we’re really all in the shadow of His hand. The cold? Maybe we’d be more inclined to “huddle up” with God if we actually felt the cold. His large embrace invites us into that warmth every single day. We just may not see it.

We may prefer the bright, warm intensity of the sun, but we need the rain too. We need to sit in the quite of an afternoon shower, with nothing to do. We need that stillness to “be” - with ourselves and with God. He so yearns for our time, our affections and our relationship. He blesses us when we give Him that undistracted time. That is pure sunshine! So, amidst the rainy days, there is sun in our lives. And when we combine the two, rain and sun, we get so much more. We get rainbows in our lives – bigger, brighter and more beautiful than we ever imagined!