Handling Showers in Life

You have often heard the statement, “April showers bring May flowers.”  The ultimate goal in this expression is the loveliness of spring flowers that enhance the beauty of God’s wonderful creation.  By the same token, the beauty of springtime flowers only appears after the showers have come.  “Showers” or “rain” implies the absence of the sun and suggests something dreary or dismal.  However, there are a lot of positive aspects about rain.  Rain brings refreshment.  It cleanses.  It purges.  It brings nourishment to the thirsty land.  As a result, lots of good comes out of something that has even the smallest hint of negativism.

You will remember that in the Bible the Apostle Paul had what he called a “thorn in the flesh.”  Whatever that was, to him it was negative and he wanted to rid himself of it.  He says,  “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me” (II Corinthians 12:7-8).  He didn’t want the “thorn” but God gave it to him anyway.  God’s response to him was that into each life some rain must fall.  Some negative is not all bad.  Paul went on to explain God’s response to his request.  “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (II Corinthians 12:9).

His negative situation – even though it contained “showers”, “rain” or “pain” – would become a positive experience because God would be exceedingly sufficient for him through it.  God’s power would be shown through Paul’s weakness.  Alice Hansche Mortenson penned a poem which helps us understand how some of the “showers”, “thorns” or “pain” that we go through can lead to things that are positive.  She writes,

Though prayers for healing seemed in vain, God helped me learn to live with pain;

To use the very thing I dread for closer walk with Him instead;
And how to lend a listening ear to those who hurt and shed a tear
Of sympathy, or press their hand—worth more because I understand.
Dear God, if that’s the only way You’d have me serve from day to day,
Please use this tiny cross of pain for others and for Heaven’s gain!

Maybe God wants to use the “showers”, “rain” or “pain” in your life in order to show His greatness and His glory.  Remember, God will be totally sufficient for you as you give yourself completely to Him.