Walking in the Rain
You ever have a friend who brings sunshine everywhere she goes? Maybe you are that friend. I like to think I am. And I’ve always been proud to hold that title “Mrs. Sunshine”. I once had a friend who was a little on the Eeyore side of personalities. I was the Tigger in our friendship. And it worked, for the most part. During a particularly rough patch in her life, her husband said something I’ve never forgotten. He said his wife had to “sweep the sunshine out” after I visited. I would smile and think, “good for me, I bring cheer. I bring laughter. I bring sunshine.”
But I had no idea what I was doing to my precious friend. But I do now.
You see it takes a different perspective to realize that bringing the sunshine isn’t always a gift. Sometimes it’s a curse. Sometimes it doesn’t heal; sometimes it hurts. But the only way I’ve learned this is by walking in the rain myself. Life is hard. Life isn’t always about getting what you want or what you deserve or even what you need. Life isn’t about working hard enough or doing all the right things in order to be paid back with the good things in life. Bad stuff happens to “good” people all the time. All the time. No one is immune. You have a health crisis even though you exercise and eat well. Your kids struggle even though you prayed for them and led them as close to Christ as you could take them. Your business goes under even though you worked diligently and exhaustively. Sooner of later, you find yourself in the midst of your own storm. The rain pours down, the thunder roars, the lightening flashes.
And when that happens…the last person you want to see is Mrs. Sunshine. And we are all guilty of doing it. We think we are helping. Our purpose is not malicious but kind.
“Here friend, come into the sunshine with me! All is well. It’s ok. Be happy. Be joyful.”
But here’s the problem: It’s not ok. Not right now. Not in this moment.
I know. As a Christian, it is totally true that it is GOING TO BE OK. Yes, but in our human existence, there are days that are painful. There are events that bring us to our knees. There are people who break our hearts. Yes, life hurts sometimes.
And you know what? When it does, we don’t want someone to bring the sunscreen and the bright rays. We want someone to join us in the rain and hold the umbrella. Hold the umbrella and weep. Because if we can just be quiet long enough, our hearts will speak for us. And our hearts will say to our hurting friends, “It is ok to hurt. I am here with you as long as you need me to be. I will cry with you. I am imperfect too. I’ll stand in the rain with you. I’ve got you.”
But here is the beauty of the rain. Rain cleanses. Rain washes away the impurities. The rain may wash away the sand castles, the temporary, the fake. But rain does something else too, Rain uncovers treasure. Many in our lives run for shelter when the storms come; but not our true friends, not our God. He stands firmly in the storm. He knows a little bit about calming storms. But remember, He lets it rage all around you sometimes. The calm will come.
The older you get, the more you realize that there is a purpose in the “rain”. Rain cleanses. Rain washes away the impurities in the air. Rain feeds the rivers and oceans and streams. Life cannot survive without life-giving rain. Nor can we. It is only in the pain and difficulties and betrayals and devastations and fear that we can even come close to realizing our desperate need for the life-giving presence of God.
I’ve heard it said that crisis creates a dividing line, a decision to be made in one’s life. Where you go from there will determine your destination. Will you turn away and curse God, or will you cling to the only One who can bring purpose from the pain?
We want God to always bring the sunshine, make us healthy, bring the promotion, answer our prayers with ‘yes’. But sometimes He simply brings the umbrella and walks with us through the rain.
That’s our calling too. The world is hurting. Your neighbors are hurting. Your family is hurting. Get out there in the rain.
And by all means, don’t forget the umbrella!