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)
