Cloudy with a Promise of a Better Day

"Peace is not found in the absence of trouble but in the presence of God."

I guess almost everyone frowns at the daunting sight of dark clouds.  Like most five-year olds, the sound of thunder used to send me scurrying under the sheets too.  To my mind, Rain and anything that signaled its coming were the villains in what's supposed to be a nice day to play outside.  So with nose pressed hard against our old glass jalousie windows, I had grown up chanting "Rain, rain, go away!" at each ominous rain cloud that hid my hero, Mister Sun away.  

little me under my favorite umbrella

In this life, we too are faced with some kind of rain every now and then.  Sometimes it drizzles, some days it storms.  But what do we do when the inevitable comes?  Should we just let it dampen our spirits and flood our souls with sadness?  Should we run and hide?  Or should we keep on chanting that rainy day rhyme until the storms have passed? 


There is a song I heard once about little flowers which comforted me in a time of grief.  Here are some of the verses I can still remember...


"Little flowers never worry when the wind begins to blow
And they never, never cry when the rain begins to fall
...Oh I guess they've learned the secret; They don't fret because they know
If it never, never rained, then they'll never, never grow"   


Once we understand the promise of Romans 8:28--that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose, we can better appreciate even the most trying circumstances.  And with the God who created the mystery of the seasons by our side, we can trust each out-pour to bring with it new strength, growth and blessing.  For how can we know the warmth of sunshine, if we had not been acquainted with the dampness of rain?  Indeed, the soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears. 

Today, I still shudder at the thought of rain, though am no longer as afraid.  Just as troubles and difficulties are bound to happen, so do better days.  And whether or not the rain is here to stay, the sunshine of God's love shall be enough to paint a smile across my face.  So the next time dark clouds hover, I would like to see that little girl in me coming out from beneath those sheets; putting her rain boots on and running towards the rain.  She would be opening her umbrella upside-down to catch heaven's mercies; and with her head lifted high, she would be spreading her arms as wide as she can to embrace everything else the rain has to offer.  

There is beauty to be found in the midst of every storm when you have God in the center of it.  Over the years, He has been a friend who has walked with me through the grays and gloom of it all.  With His faithfulness, He has led me again and again to that rainbow behind every cloud.   Thus, in the days to come, when the storms rage on and the skies shower down its endless rhythm of spitter-spatter and drippitty-drop-drops, I will trust Him once more to take my hand, jump with me in the puddles, and gracefully dance with me in the rain.