Well, if you live in or are visiting the state of Florida right now, you would have to be seriously challenged in some way not to realize we are in the midst of a Tropical Storm ~ Debby would be her name and she is moving SLOW. It has been interesting to note the differing opinions on Debby being posted on Facebook. Some are posting fears and concerns along with links to news of every tragic situation associated with flooding and tornados. Some are just tired of the dreary weather and ready for the rain to go away. Others are simply thankful for the rain in whatever form it comes.
It is also interesting to watch people as they experience the bands of thunderstorms that keep washing across the state. It seems like whenever the clouds part and we see those precious rays of sunshine, folks are almost wanting to rush outside and stand basking in the sun before the next row of clouds comes by.
This past weekend I had almost 30 people at my house for lunch ~ 14 were children ~ 13 were under the age of 10. It was raining...Hard.
What do you do with 13 little kids in the rainy weather....?
You give em a big beach ball and a slip n slide, put a swimsuit on em, and put them in the yard.
In life there will be rainy days. Illness, death, loss of a job, moving to a new place, a difficult child or a marriage that ends in divorce could seem like tropical storm force rain. What do we do with rainy days when they arrive?
- Maybe you face them with fear. Fear of the unknown, the future, the consequences...Focusing on the rain to the point of distraction from everything else.
- Maybe you just trudge through hoping that eventually they will go away.
- Or just maybe, you learn to play in the rain...
Paul says in Philippians 4:11-12 "...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether I am well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Paul had some seriously rainy days. Early on in his letter to the Philippians he talked of joy in suffering. His whole letter is about joy. And he wrote it in prison. That's a rainy day.
How does one learn to play in the rain? How do we find joy in suffering? By basking in the Son. Paul couldn't have experienced the joy and contentment in suffering if he didn't have a relationship with Jesus. And not just any relationship, but an incredibly personal and intimate one. A relationship that caused him to spend his waking hours before the Lord in worship and service.
So I encourage you ~ implore you ~ to bask in the light of His love today. Spend time with Him, worship Him, read His Word. Then when the rainy days come, you can play in the rain.
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