Earlier this week, I sat in my truck at the front gate as the rain poured down. It is an electric gate, but had been repeatedly malfunctioning so I had disconnected it. This meant I would have to get out of the truck and get drenched by a monsoon as I manually unlocked the gate.
Realizing what was about to happen, an old nursery rhyme from my childhood suddenly popped into my head.
Rain, rain, go away
Come again another day
Little Tommy wants to play
Rain, rain go away
I am not the first to feel this way.
Research indicates the original nursery rhyme can be traced back to England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1533-1605). This means, approximately six centuries ago, children like me were complaining about rain.
Rain, while at times inconvenient, is incredibly important. We wouldn’t exist without it. Yet, I find myself complaining whenever the rain is problematic. That’s a very shortsighted view because rain is necessary. But this is not the only place in my life when I fail to see the big picture.
I do the same thing with God.
My spiritual, theological, and emotional growth happens most often when life is inconvenient. That’s when I am forced to examine who I am and whose I am. And even though I would much rather sit in my nice comfortable cocoon, insulated from a troublesome world, that’s not where true growth occurs.
The inconvenient parts of life matter.
Paul said, “ We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3b-5)
This means the next time life doesn’t go exactly as I have planned, I will remember that I am growing, whether I want to or not. That’s a good thing.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, please forgive my continual complaining. Help me see how blessed I am. Help me to be a blessing for others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
I just checked the weather. There will be no rain today.
God is good.
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins
Daily Devotionals by Dr. Tom Robbins 