it’s raining this morning — it’s not Monday– but still, it is raining.  It is at this point that I remind myself that nothing grows without water, without the rain. Not crops, not flowers, not trees, not any kind of plant or food; nor animals nor humans — we all need the rain.

without the rain nothing grows, why would we (as God’s creation) be any different?

all sun and no rain — everything dies

all prosperity and no hardship (difficulties, challenges, pain, loss, trials) we become lazy, weak, unproductive, we fall away from God as we stop seeking Him; we lack purpose, we stop growing, we stop developing new skills and character traits

Romans 5:3-4 says that, ” . . . we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”   Trials, like the rain, grow something good in us.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  (James 1:2-4)  The rain is for our good, not our harm.

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener.  . . .  every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”  (John 15:1-2)  pruning is painful but produces a good result in us.

Consider this; ” . . . the Lord disciplines those He loves,  . . .  God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness.  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  (Hebrews 12:6, 10-11)  More good things growing in us as a result of the “rain” of God’s discipline.

” . . . though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”  (1 Peter 1:6-7)

“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”  (Job 23:10)

pruning, discipline, trials and testing; sometimes it’s a rainy day — sometimes it’s a rainy season.  But I can take heart in knowing it all has a purpose, a good purpose. Through the rain I will grow instead of perish.  I will develop character, be made complete.  I will become more fruitful, I will receive righteousness and peace.  My faith will be refined and proved genuine.  I will come forth as gold!

The rain isn’t going to separate me from my Heavenly Father.  No, the rain makes it possible for me to grow closer to Him and to grow into the person He created me to be.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  . . .  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8:35-39)

sincerely,                Grace Day