Bring On The Rain!!

Today as I sat having my quiet time with the Lord, the rain was pounding down on my home. It was a hard, heavy rain that seemed like it would never end. I’ve been thinking about that rain all day, and have been reminded of two very different types of “rain”, both of which I have experienced in the last few months.

The first is the “bad” rain. The rain that comes with wind, thunder and lightning, flooding, and devastation. The rain that seems never-ending; relentless. Boy have I experienced this over the last couple of years. First the dreaded words: cancer….metastatic melanoma. Then having to share that news with our children and the rest of our family. The “rain” had started. Then began the onslaught of tests, scans, appointments, phone calls, research, etc. Then the prognosis….poor. That “rain” was getting heavier. Then the treatment options…..only one option and the success rate slim to none at best. More research, more phone calls, more calling out to God, more decisions that had to be made. Then we make the first of many, many trips to Houston to seek treatment. Another surgery, some more tests and things seem good…the “rain” seems to be letting up a little. We think we can even see the sun beginning to shine again. All seems calm for about a year, then the bottom falls out. The melanoma has spread. More tests, more scans, more appointments, more trips to Houston…..more “rain.” It just seems relentless….oral chemo, open heart surgery, biochemo, horrible side effects, poor appetite, raging fevers, increased weakness, night sweats, unbearable pain, nausea, vomiting, endless appointments, way too much time away from our kids….rain, wind, thunder, lightning. It’s scary. I’m having a hard time remaining upright. More bad news…the melanoma continues to invade his body. I feel like I’m in a whirlwind. I feel helpless. My heart breaks…..I am constantly crying out to the Lord. The “stormiest” day of my life comes when my kids and I have to say goodbye to the husband and Dad that we love. I feel as if I’m drowning in all the “rain.” I can’t make sense of anything. I feel beaten and battered and worn down. I can’t see because of the “rain.” I can’t hear because of the thunder of all that’s going on around me. I feel like I am going to collapse under the weight of it all.

“The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” ~Matthew 7:25

But God…….He has sustained me. My “house” IS still standing! It may be a little wobbly and it may look a bit tattered, but it is STILL standing! Praise God that He is my foundation, and because of that, I am still STANDING! That doesn’t mean that I’m not a little worse for the wear. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have a lot of repairs (healing) left to do, but it does mean that God keeps His promises, and my house IS STILL STANDING! He is faithful and He is good!

The other type of “rain” that I was reminded of today is the sweet, gentle, welcomed rains. The rains that bring refreshment to a dry and parched land. The Lord continually sends these little “rains” into my life. They come to me through His blessings and His people. They come in the form of cards, and meals and phone calls. They come in the form of prayers and gifts and hugs. They come in the form of legal help and smiles and yard work. They come in the form of financial advice and weekend get-aways with friends and help with my cars. They come in the form of Godly men spending time with my son and neighbors offering to help with whatever I might need and family members always checking on me to be sure I’m okay. The rains often come in the form of a needed word of encouragement from God’s word, or a blessing or circumstance in my life that can come only from His hand….no other explanations! How very thankful I am for these times of refreshing! These showers of blessing! Just like the old hymn:

There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

Refrain:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.

In the midst of chaos, in the midst of destruction…..if we look hard enough we can see and feel the smallest drops of mercy. And if we focus on these drops of mercy and not the chaos that is all about us, soon we will notice that the drops are getting more and more, and bigger and bigger, and soon we are drenched in the sweet showers of His blessing!

I know that in my life, I will experience more storms and more destruction. I will also experience more drops of mercy and more showers of blessing. Whether it be one or the other….I say, “Bring on the rain!” My God will sustain me through the storms and my God will generously heap showers of blessing upon me. Because my God loves me, He is with me and He is for me!

Trusting His Plan,
Sandra