Dancing in the Rain

James 1:12 - Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

As I woke up this morning to the thunder booming and lightning flashing, I thought about a quote one of my facebook friends had posted yesterday: "life's not about making it through the storm, it's about learning to dance in the rain." How many of us get up on rainy days and worry how long it's going to rain and how it's going to affect our plans for the day? I often find myself talking about what a "yucky day" it is or how much I just want it to stop raining so I can continue on with my plans.

But if you ask a farmer about the rain, you'll get a completely different outlook. Rain is necessary for plants to grow. We need rain in order to reap a bountiful harvest of crops.

For some reason I'm always amazed at how God knows just the right time and the right amount of rain to send into my life. It's happened enough times that I should understand that God's omniscience clearly overpowers my human planning, but yet I'm always caught off guard. God's timing never seems to by my timing, but when I look back over the years I can clearly see how His timing is always perfect.

Sometimes the rain comes as a refreshing summer shower, quenching the dryness of our souls. Other times it comes as mighty spring thunderstorms, shaking us to our cores. But always, God is in control. Are you merely sitting through the rain, wishing it would stop so you could go on with your life? Or are you outside splashing in the mud puddles and dancing in the rain?

Live your life in the moment. The past is gone and you have no guarantees about the future, so take some time to learn how to dance in the rain. Maybe you'll see a rainbow.