for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45b
When something bad happens to a person we start to ask or at least wonder, “what have you done?”. It is easy to think that God must be punishing them, else they wouldn’t have it so bad. Or my personal favorite, “if you just had enough faith” as if misfortune only falls on those who don’t walk close enough to Christ. We are foolish! If we would just read the scripture we would see very plainly; it’s going to rain. Whether a person is good or bad, they will face trials and tribulation in their life. No matter what you do in your life, you can anticipate rain. The question is what will you do with the rain?
Over the years I have had people confide in me with stories of trouble in their lives. I have come in contact with many people who are facing the same or similar “rains” in their lives, yet what they do and how they react to the situations are very different. For example I have known people who have lost their job which put them into a financial crisis. One man goes into a state of depression, gets angry with God and asks, “Why are you letting this happen to me, what have I done?”. The other man, also with a heavy heart, realizes his misfortune and calls out to God, “Help and direct me to find a job and support my family, help me to overcome this obstacle and bring you glory.”. The first man is focused on, controlled and defeated by his circumstances. The second man has accepted His circumstances, and seeks God direction to make the best of and in spite of the rain.
Some people look at a rainy day and think about what they cannot do today. The wish the rain would go away; they forget in that moment that rain is important to the cycle of life. Others accept the rainy day, its purpose and make the best of it. Perspective in life is important. It can cause us to be defeated or uplifted; it can make us curl up and hide, or stand up and march on; it can turn us from God, or it can draw us closer to Him. God has a purpose for the rains in our lives; how we view the rain and what we do with the rain is up to us.
I think the lyrics to this song by Laura Story really sum it up nicely:
Blessings
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
It's not our home
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise
So what will you do with the rain?
