Essential Rains

So just a thought...rain and storms are often thought of as something bad; negative. Generally, unless you are obsessed with severe weather like myself, people don't wish for rain and storms. It is like that in life too, I suppose; know one wishes for "bad things" to happen. People hope and try to embrace "sunny" moments. The thing is, though, that rain causes things to grow. Lightning, when it strikes the ground, infuses it with nutrients that plants also use to grow. What a picture of what God describes when He talks via Paul about counting our trials as gains; count your rain and your storms as gains. Remember that without them, you cannot, you WILL not grow. They are essential ingredients. Just remember that you don't walk in the rain alone and Christ is the only shelter you need. He is sufficient; more than enough. We sing it, but do we live it? Next time it rains, or you see a storm on the horizon, embrace joy as Paul did, knowing that you are about to have a growth spurt-it's time to get watered.