Walking in the Rain

For two weeks in a row we have had some pretty intense April showers (actually thunderstorms) here on the Gulf Coast. Services had to be cancelled tonight because of flooding in the streets around the central part of town. The lightning was intense all afternoon. The tornado warnings were being posted in counties all across Mississippi. Some people lost their homes in these storms, some people lost their lives. Spring is coming and as warmer air collides with the cooler air of winter, these storms will break out often. No matter what we may think about the seasons, they follow their path without variance. No amount of wishing can alter the course of the seasons. Personally I'm a Fall/Winter person, but I know people who live for the Spring/Summer. Our calling is to walk with Christ through the seasons. As we live this journey, conditions may change on us. We may have to survive some stormy weather in temptation, trials, hardship, pain and doubt. People may hurt us, or we may hurt someone without knowing what we have done. We may even surprise ourselves with our own wicked thoughts and deeds. Yet we walk on through the rain. But when the storm clouds break, what a wonder is the clear blue sky! How beautiful is the rainbow hovering just where thunder and lightning were a moment ago. Along the way we move from heartache and suffering to the sunshine of God's grace. We journey from failures and disappointments to the acceptance and mercy of God's loving arms. The path toward personal spiritual growth is the pathway of the Kingdom. It is not our goal so much to just get to the end. It is more our goal to grow into the people God has called us to be while we are making our journey. Only then can we appreciate the rain.