Articles
Rain
I used to hate the rain. I didn’t like the mood it put me in, and I didn’t like that it kept me from doing things I wanted to do. Rainy days were a nuisance, and I sometimes wished there were never any rainy days, only days of sunshine. Once in high school during a rain shower, I expressed my dislike of rain to a friend who simply replied, “Why do you hate the rain? It’s a beautiful thing.” He was right! Rain is beautiful because it is necessary, beneficial, and it is a gift from God. In our lives, we are faced with rainy days, both physically and spiritually. We all experience things in life that inconvenience us, ruin our plans, and put us in a bad mood. These spiritual rainy days, sometimes downpours even, can have a negative effect on us. However, we need to change our attitudes towards the rain. Rain is not always a hindrance, so we must adjust how we react to it and use our rainy days as times of growth and benefit.
Just as I changed my attitude about rainy days, we need to adjust our attitude towards our spiritual challenges. Our first reaction to difficulty is to be unhappy and discontented. James tells us what the appropriate attitude and response should be towards our challenges: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” (James 1:2). Each of us must learn to have a joyful attitude when we meet trials. Whether someone challenges our faith outright, or if we are faced with a difficult and unpleasant decision, we must find joy. Jesus instructs us to “rejoice and be glad” when we are reviled, persecuted, and spoken evil of falsely (Matthew 5:11-12). A situation like that would be unpleasant, to say the least. However, Jesus says we must have the proper attitude towards those challenges. Whether we experience only a slight sprinkle of challenges or a monsoon of struggles, it is imperative that we control our attitude in the face of trouble.
When there is no rain, crops fail, animals grow weak, and life dies. Similarly, we need challenges in life to grow spiritually. James continues to encourage us by telling us that “the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). Just as rain leads to a healthy earth, our spiritual rainy days can lead to greater faithfulness and resolve. Paul reminds us in Romans 5:3-4 not only to rejoice in our sufferings but to remember that “suffering produces character, and character produces hope.” Knowing this should help us find joy and gladness in our trials. All sunshine and no rain leads to drought. We must find the lessons in the pain we experience and grow as a result.
As good and needful as rain can be, too much can be harmful. There are times of extreme grief and emotional challenges can drive us nearly to despair. In these spiritual floods, we must always remember to seek God’s help and comfort. God cares about us -- we must always remember that. Isaiah 49:15-16 shows God’s love for his people by saying that God has “engraved [us] on the palms of [his] hands.” God remembers us. When we feel that we have been weighed down with more than we can bear, we must seek the refuge available in the hollow of God’s hands. Just as the rainbow reminds us that God will never again destroy the world with water, we can be sure that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability (1 Corinthians 10:13). After David had been delivered from his enemies, he praised God for being his rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, and stronghold. David knew where true protection could be found. Joseph also understood God’s care. Through all the pain he suffered because of how his brothers had treated him, he realized something important: his brothers meant evil against him, “but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). We must never forget that God is at work in our lives.
Consider your attitude towards the rain. Do you rejoice in your trials, knowing the growth that comes from successful perseverance, or do you complain about how bad things are? Remember this: even though the waters of the earth roar and foam, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1-3).
