The Rain of Life

I am looking out the window at the rain as it is falling.  Each little raindrop, gently dropping to the surface.  And it makes me think of the things that our Father causes to "fall" into our lives.  We all know that the rain is necessary.  We don't always like it, but we recognize that we need it and are okay with that - usually.  

We may grumble (and I sometimes do) about the gloom and want the sunshine, but we recognize that we must have the rain.  And so it is with life.  We need the trials to make us strong.  Most of the time they come as little droplets, gently falling around us.  The burnt toast first thing in the morning or not being able to find that piece of paper we're looking for.   At other times, they are more of a jolt - like getting up in the middle of the night with a crying baby, or dealing with a sarcastic remark made by someone close to us.  And then there are the storms, the driving rain that pounds down on us breaking off tree limbs and blowing things out of place, disrupting our lives and bringing major upheaval.  The hard things in life. They are different for all of us, but they do come.  For the child of God,  each trial, whether the little raindrop that falls gently or the ravaging storm that threatens destruction, comes directly from the hands of our loving Father to bring about good in our lives, benefits that would not be realized apart from the trial.  He does not send them capriciously or without purpose.  The rain cleanses and the wind carries away the things that are weak and shaky, and then the sunshine.  However long the storms last, the sun shines again, and we are better for having weathered them - if we walk through them trusting the goodness and faithfulness of our loving Father.   Thankful for the storms - and the sunshine that follows.