When it Rains... It Pours
When you hear the quote "when it rains, it pours", it usually comes with a negative connotation. It is commonly said when many things don't go as planned in a short period of time. Time and time again I hear people say it with such negativity regarding a situation, and rarely does saying it ever make the situation better.
In the last 2.5 weeks, I have spent a combined 20 hours in a vehicle driving so I have had a lot of time to think about everything and anything. Just before I left for one of the drives, one of my friends had said this in a joking matter about her life, again with the negative connotation. The more I thought about this and the negativity surrounding it, I wondered how it could become a positive thing. I've been thinking about that lot in my spare time and I have come to the conclusion that just because it's pouring, doesn't mean it is always bad. In fact, some of my best memories at camp are from days that it poured all day long.
When we think about rain, and its use, it usually is seen as a good thing. Farmers need it to grow their crops, animals need it to live and be sustainable as do we humans. Rain is most commonly seen as a good thing that causes growth, with the occasional times of being unnecessary, yet time and time again we use it negatively.
Many times throughout the Bible, it talks about struggle and times that it really 'poured' on people. In any of those times, God never once left those people where they were at though. He always brought them through and showed them the rainbow on the other side. Blessings were always close and near through the struggles.
Peter had a temper.
David had an affair.
Noah got drunk.
Jonah ran from God.
Paul was a murderer.
Gideon was insecure.
Miriam was a gossiper.
Martha was a worrier.
Thomas was a doubter.
Sara was impatient.
Elijah was moody.
Moses stuttered.
Zaccheus was short.
Abraham was old.
Lazarus was dead.
All of these people walked through life with these different characteristics and hindrance that many, including themselves, declared unworthy of love and unable to make a difference. They are things that you would say "When it rains, it pours" to when looking at their lives and situations. That's not what God says though, God sees those characteristics, and uses them for His glory. He takes what we see as bad things and uses those things to speak life into other people. He makes what we think of as being broken, into something beautiful.All of these people have stories that are told over and over again and are seen as these amazing stories. We are told the story in completion, but when they were living in the moment, they didn't get to see the end. Just how we don't see where God leads us now and the victory that will come at the end of our stories.
Sometimes "when it rains, it pours" can be a good thing-- think of how many times one thing has worked out that has lead to so many more blessing. Sometimes "when it rains, it pours" can be a hard thing, but the rain eventually stops, and when it does, God paints the sky and shows His promise to us with a rainbow.
The day this photo was taken was my best friends birthday- a day that I had traveled 1, 565km to be a part of and when we woke up it was pouring. Typical Seattle weather, but still disappointing. That day was nothing like what we had planned in the previous months, but by the end of the day, this is the view we had from the ferry. What we thought was bad, God used for good. When it rained, it really did pour, but some of the best memories from that trip are from that day in the rain and then seeing the rainbow with the skyline.
Right now, go get a piece of paper, a sticky note, napkin, anything to write on and a pen. Write down 5 of the blessings that are being poured into your life right now. Hang it up now. Put it above your kitchen sink, on the mirror in your bathroom, your nightstand, anywhere where you can see it and be reminded of it. Next time it's pouring, remember that it will stop and when it does it will bring growth and renewal. Enjoy the rain. Grow in the rain. Trust in the rain.
Blessings- Laura Story
Brokenness Aside- All Sons & Daughters
The Broken Beautiful- Ellie Holcomb
Hills and Valleys- Tauren Wells
In the last 2.5 weeks, I have spent a combined 20 hours in a vehicle driving so I have had a lot of time to think about everything and anything. Just before I left for one of the drives, one of my friends had said this in a joking matter about her life, again with the negative connotation. The more I thought about this and the negativity surrounding it, I wondered how it could become a positive thing. I've been thinking about that lot in my spare time and I have come to the conclusion that just because it's pouring, doesn't mean it is always bad. In fact, some of my best memories at camp are from days that it poured all day long.
When we think about rain, and its use, it usually is seen as a good thing. Farmers need it to grow their crops, animals need it to live and be sustainable as do we humans. Rain is most commonly seen as a good thing that causes growth, with the occasional times of being unnecessary, yet time and time again we use it negatively.
Many times throughout the Bible, it talks about struggle and times that it really 'poured' on people. In any of those times, God never once left those people where they were at though. He always brought them through and showed them the rainbow on the other side. Blessings were always close and near through the struggles.
Peter had a temper.
David had an affair.
Noah got drunk.
Jonah ran from God.
Paul was a murderer.
Gideon was insecure.
Miriam was a gossiper.
Martha was a worrier.
Thomas was a doubter.
Sara was impatient.
Elijah was moody.
Moses stuttered.
Zaccheus was short.
Abraham was old.
Lazarus was dead.
All of these people walked through life with these different characteristics and hindrance that many, including themselves, declared unworthy of love and unable to make a difference. They are things that you would say "When it rains, it pours" to when looking at their lives and situations. That's not what God says though, God sees those characteristics, and uses them for His glory. He takes what we see as bad things and uses those things to speak life into other people. He makes what we think of as being broken, into something beautiful.All of these people have stories that are told over and over again and are seen as these amazing stories. We are told the story in completion, but when they were living in the moment, they didn't get to see the end. Just how we don't see where God leads us now and the victory that will come at the end of our stories.
Sometimes "when it rains, it pours" can be a good thing-- think of how many times one thing has worked out that has lead to so many more blessing. Sometimes "when it rains, it pours" can be a hard thing, but the rain eventually stops, and when it does, God paints the sky and shows His promise to us with a rainbow.
The day this photo was taken was my best friends birthday- a day that I had traveled 1, 565km to be a part of and when we woke up it was pouring. Typical Seattle weather, but still disappointing. That day was nothing like what we had planned in the previous months, but by the end of the day, this is the view we had from the ferry. What we thought was bad, God used for good. When it rained, it really did pour, but some of the best memories from that trip are from that day in the rain and then seeing the rainbow with the skyline.Right now, go get a piece of paper, a sticky note, napkin, anything to write on and a pen. Write down 5 of the blessings that are being poured into your life right now. Hang it up now. Put it above your kitchen sink, on the mirror in your bathroom, your nightstand, anywhere where you can see it and be reminded of it. Next time it's pouring, remember that it will stop and when it does it will bring growth and renewal. Enjoy the rain. Grow in the rain. Trust in the rain.
Blessings- Laura Story
Brokenness Aside- All Sons & Daughters
The Broken Beautiful- Ellie Holcomb
Hills and Valleys- Tauren Wells
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