Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain. –Vivian Greene
I saw that quote which struck me, as the day before I was waiting for a weather storm to pass. It was another sunny, very humid day as I began my walk for the day. Bringing an umbrella with me was not on my radar. Partway into my walk, I noticed a few darker clouds rolling in, yet was intrigued by the sun shining forth.
I had a hunch to look behind me, and that is when I saw a rainbow for the third day in the last few weeks of my walks. As always, I was mesmerized by its beauty and wished I could see more of it.
It was then some big raindrops started to dot the pavement. I was on a city block walking, where there was no place for shelter from the torrential downpour I found myself in. I tried to find a big tree for shelter, hoping for protection, but it did not work.
I had no choice but to embrace the rain and enjoy it cooling me off for a bit. I did consciously think about trying to enjoy the moment soaking in the rain. There was nothing else I could do.
I was thankful I had a long sleeve sweater with me, which I eventually put on to absorb some of the wetness. When the rain lightened up, I continued walking. I was persistent and finished my usual path despite the drops of wet dripping off my cap and the squishing of my sneakers.
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain. –Vivian Greene
There are great lessons in this saying to apply to our faith journey. Three main points we can try to incorporate in our lives are…
1-Embrace the storm.
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. –Mark 6:45-56 (NIV)
Notice that Jesus “made” His disciples get into the boat. We need to keep in mind storms are a natural part of life. They can help us grow in our faith journey if we embrace them.
Embrace the storms knowing:
- Jesus is always present in the boat of your storm.
- Your storm might give you compassion and empathy to help others in their storms.
- Your storm can encourage others to touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak.
2-Enjoy the present, even the storms.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” –Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” –Matthew 6:34 (ESV)
God wants us to enjoy the present. We can’t live waiting to enjoy life when there are no storms. We would never appreciate the beauty of the current moment.
Enjoy the present knowing:
- Jesus is present in each moment.
- Looking to the past prevents us from seeing the beauty God is providing today.
- Dwelling on the future, of things that might not happen, is futile.
3-Exhibit an attitude of thanksgiving in the storms.
Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. –1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (NLT)
And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. –Ephesians 5:20 (NLT)
We need to cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving to be able to dance in the storms of life. We need to practice gratitude in all circumstances. God is so good and faithful if we look for Him.
Exhibit an attitude of thanksgiving knowing:
- Jesus is in charge of each moment.
- Prayer brings us closer to God’s presence.
- We can be grateful for the littlest of blessings.
Photo courtesy of Caitlin Doe under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0); words added by hopetoinspireyou.com
This week I encourage you to focus on learning to dance in the rain~in the storms of life. I pray you may find joy and peace in the storms as you are dancing~
Remember…
Embrace the storms – Jesus is always present in the boat of your storm.
Enjoy the present, even the storms – Jesus is present in each moment.
Exhibit an attitude of thanksgiving in the storms – Jesus is in charge of each moment.
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. –James 1:2-4 (NLT)
