Sunday, June 26, 2011

Let it Rain.

This afternoon, I was running on the beach. It wasn’t a particularly pretty day, the sand was very soft and difficult to run in. Then, it started to rain. I realized that I was the only one out there running in the weather. I could only think about how difficult this was and how much longer I had to go, and how I could just turn back and cut the run short…. Then I felt God teaching me something.
It is raining on a number of areas of my life right now. I just returned from a week of Youth Camp with some incredible students… but I still feel like we are just not there yet... The deep passion, excitement and joy of following Christ just is not there… like running in the rain.
But can I praise Him when it rains? Does my attitude about the weather have an effect on my performance and enthusiasm…. I realized that sometimes the rainy days often take the wind out of my sails.
The message came through so clearly that it was as if someone standing next to me had spoken it: "If you find joy while you run in the rain, you'll be ready when it rains on race day." While I do not run races, I have been praying hard for an awakening among our teen culture today.
If the weather is beautiful, God is good. If it's terrible, God is still good. And the same thing rings true in every area of life. When everything is going great we should praise Him with everything we have. When everything feels like it's raining, we can rest in the knowledge that God is still good and deserves just as much praise!
When I finished my run, with a time that was a bit slower than usual, I put on my fins, snorkel and mask and went for a 30 minute swim in the rain. You know, I did not even notice the rain as I swam. When I came out from my swim, the rain had stopped and I felt refreshed. Press on in the rain, leave the growth in the hearts of others up to the Lord…. A refreshing realization. I look forward to the next opportunity to run or swim in the rain.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” - Romans 8:18