Blessings & Raindrops
We have had uncanny amounts of rain over the last couple of weeks, but it’s Sunday and it’s gorgeous outside. The sun is shining brightly and the landscape seems greener than ever! But, I know there are those who still have rain and storms in their lives. I remember feeling that way when we received a deadly diagnosis when my baby girl was so sick and then later when my husband’s diagnosis was grim. I remember thinking: “How can people be all “sunny” around me when I am hurting so much for those I love so much?”
The raindrops here came with thunder, lightning, and golf-ball-sized hail. One of my neighbor’s car had $7K of damages from the hail. Rain AND all it can bring isn’t a blessing — or is it? I’ve found out, and you probably have, too, that many times in life, blessings do come from raindrops. Over the course of my life, I’ve learned that instead of focusing on the rain, if I measured the blessings by the raindrops that came, I would be overwhelmed with blessings.
Laura Story wrote a song entitled “What If Blessings Come from Raindrops?” The song is based on the incredible blessings she had as a Grammy award-winning songwriter and recording artist. The faith Laura sang about was put to the test when her husband was on breathing machines after brain tumor surgery. She said, “I spent my whole life singing, ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,’ but until Jesus took me through something where my only option was to trust Him, I didn’t really know that sweetness. It’s hard to understand why God would allow us to go through this, but I know He works all things together for good. When He leads us through valleys, we get to trust Him and draw closer to Him more. Though I’ve doubted, His grasp has never released, never slipped. He’s remained completely faithful to me. He has proven that He really is my foundation and my hope.”
She went on: “I’d like to tell those going through tough times, ‘God will fix your situation’, but He just may not fix it. Scripture doesn’t promise we’ll understand everything while we’re on this side of heaven, but it does tell us about the broken things in this life will find their greater purpose in His redemption story. God promises there is a purpose for the pain we’re going through. He promises He’s doing something greater when we don’t understand it.
I can vouch for what Laura said. I had to give reasons for the hope and peace that I had during my husband’s illness and his graduation to heaven. People asked me, “How can you have so much joy?” Like Laura, I said, “My joy is found in Jesus. It’s not found in my circumstances. I can’t guarantee things will get better. But I can guarantee I’m going to get better. Life isn’t all good, but God promises He will work it ALL together FOR GOOD for those who love Him. (Romans 8:28).
I urge you to listen to this beautiful song, written and sung by Laura. It’s 10-years-old but the song is as relevant for us today as it was when she wrote it through her toughest season. Perhaps it’s a “rainy” season in your world today. This song may give you the encouragement you need to realize that though it might be raining, God’s plans include the SUN shining again and you will come back stronger, wiser, and more joy-filled if you let Him fill you up with His goodness and mercy. What if trials of this life are His mercies in disguise?