Rain is a good thing...most of the time. We need rain to water the land to grow food and to fill streams and lakes with water to drink for people and animals. But too much rain causes destruction by flooding the land and destroying property and possibly people and animals.
When we're going through hard times we use the expression "when it rains, it pours". It seems that there is never just one issue to deal with but multiple things at once. When the dam begins to break, it creates another break in a different place which can speed the downfall of the dam and the flood almost overwhelms us.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are not immune to the floods nor are we immune to the tension and anxiety that the floods create. It is during these seasons that we need to cling most tightly to our life preserver, who is Jesus. He has promised never to leave us (Deuteronomy 31:6,8; Habakkkuk 3:17-19; Hebrews 13:5).
If we let go, we just might drown. We may be overwhelmed with despair. We may doubt God really loves us. We may think what's the use of going on. But if we persevere, we can have peace in the midst of suffering. We can have joy in the midst of heartache. We can overcome to glorify Jesus.
"Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried (or have chosen) you in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10) I don't think anyone ever thinks of being chosen for affliction. But Job was and Paul and just about every major Bible "hero". When Ananias questioned Jesus about going to Saul/Paul, part of Jesus' response was "For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." (Acts 9:15-16). Chosen to suffer, chosen for affliction.
How we handle the seasons of rain in our lives can be one of the best testimonies our unbelieving neighbors, family, coworkers, and friends can see and hear as we continue to walk faithfully with Jesus as He walks faithfully with us. Rather than despairing the rain, let it be a time of increasing faith as we realize, and verbalize, that Jesus is our only hope in a desperate situation.
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