When
torrential downpours beat on the heads of my newly planted petunias, I felt bad
for them. I wanted to bring them inside to shelter them from the storm. By the
time the rain stopped, their little faces were bowed to the ground from the
weight of the water. They looked sad and weak. Within a few hours, however,
they perked up and turned their heads skyward. By the next day, they were
standing straight and strong.
What a
transformation! After pounding them on the head, the rain dripped from their
leaves, soaked into the soil, and came up through their stalks, giving them the
strength to stand straight.
Because I
prefer sunshine, I get annoyed when rain spoils my outdoor plans. I sometimes
wrongly think of rain as something negative. But anyone who has experienced
drought knows that rain is a blessing. It nourishes the earth for the benefit
of both the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45).
Even when
the storms of life hit so hard that we nearly break from the force, the “rain”
is not an enemy. Our loving God has allowed it to make us stronger. He uses the
water that batters us on the outside to build us up on the inside, so we may
stand straight and strong.
The
storms that threaten to destroy us God will use to strengthen us. (RBC)
