This morning I woke to the sound of rain pouring over our porch gutters. It looks like it’s been raining most of the night. I hadn’t expected that. Several others things happened this weekend which could get me down, or dash my day, but I won’t let them douse my outlook. I try to stay positive in the face of disappointment. And in the face of difficulty I am growing in dependence on God to see the good he can bring out of the bad.
The rain reminds me of how life is. At some point everyone experiences unexpected disappointments, aggravations, obstacles, or trials both big and small. We long for clear blue skies and sunny days full of hope, peace, comfort, and joy. But some days the sun is hidden by clouds of difficulty and discouragement rains down. Yet, we have the choice of how to receive the rain. Will we let it overrun us and erode our joy or will we let it be filtered by the soil of God’s love and extract the enriching qualities of its water to nourish our roots?
I don’t know all the reasons we face difficulty, suffering and pain, but one main cause is our prideful stubbornness in living for ourselves instead of God. Part of it is a result of Satan’s rebellion also. Experiencing shame, anxiety, fear, regret, loss, discouragement, disappointment, and death was never God’s design for us and soon when Jesus returns he will restore to his followers the wonderful design we once enjoyed in the garden of Eden before humankind chose to walk away from God. In the meantime, we tragically witness and experience the disastrous result of our selfishness all around us in the death, disease, disability, and destruction of each other and our world.
God notices all this, but in his wisdom, grace, and love he allows evil to persist temporarily as he works to save all who will respond to his call to a better life with him. If he were to end all evil and judge everyone right now, too many would be lost. In contrast to God’s love, Satan’s full-time activity is to steal, kill, and destroy our relationship with God and each other. But God is much bigger and better than Satan. He overcomes evil and brings everything together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. He promises that in Romans 8:28. With God’s help we can find the positive and good in all circumstances even amidst difficulty and disappointment. In Philippians, Paul encourages believers to bring both our seemingly trivial and heavily pressing concerns to God so he can replace them with joy and peace and help us see the good he will bring out of them.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:4-9).
I’m not saying this mindset is easy especially when we are hurt deeply, but over time hopefully we can gradually develop a discipline of trusting and listening to the loving, healing voice of God above our complaining, our crippling fears, or our cries of pain. When we do we grow closer to God and he transforms us more into the likeness of Jesus. Then he uses us to help others who are experiencing similar difficulties.
In fact, having an attitude of gratitude despite our circumstances is his will for us and our only hope (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Psalm 118). Because God is always good, always in control, always knowing, always loving, and always has our best interests in mind we can trust him and thank him, not necessarily for the hard times but during hard times. Paul reassured his beleaguered Christian brothers and sisters of this in the Bible in the book of Romans chapter eight:
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
“As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’
“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 8:31-39).
Thanks for listening. Try to stay positive for your optimism is contagious and blesses those around you. Keep growing in that. Although you might not be struggling right now, hopefully God brings these truths to mind whenever you do face disappointment, difficulty, and discouragement, so you can drink in the good amidst the rain and not be swallowed up by its potential to flood you.
P.S. Here is a great song called “Oceans” by the Australian group, Hillsong, which speaks to this. It’s worth the time to prayerfully listen to it.