As I gazed out my window, the view was breathtaking—lush green grass, trees in full leaf, and a world alive with color. And yet, I found myself longing for sunshine.
After a week of steady rain, I was craving warmth and light. But wasn’t it the rain that made all this beauty possible? Without it, the green wouldn’t be nearly so vibrant.
Isn’t life much the same? When our days are filled with personal storms—sorrow, waiting, struggle—we often wish things were different. We ask why. We long for sunny skies.
But perhaps, in the downpour, God is preparing something beautiful. Something we cannot yet see.
Eventually, in the midst of our cloudy days, we come to a place of surrender. We lift our hands and whisper, “Lord, show me Your will. Teach me to count it all joy, even in the rain.”
Scripture is full of promises to remind us we are not alone in the storm. Verses speak of joy in trials, of peace in hardship, of God's ever-present help.
One of my favorite reminders is found in Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea..."
This Psalm centers our hearts. God is our refuge. Our strength. Even when everything feels like it’s shifting beneath our feet, He is there.
CeCe Winans captures this same truth so beautifully in her song Be Still and Know. Her words echo deep trust in God: "I have faced many mountains, been through trials, and shed many tears... I won’t fear. I’ll be still and know You are God. When my heart feels anxious, it’s Your voice that calms every storm... You remind me to be still and know You are God."
On days when the clouds seem thickest, this song reminds us peace is found not in changed circumstances, but in God’s presence.
Maya Angelou once said, “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”
Even as we walk through storms, we can bring light to others. Kindness, a smile, a word of hope—these are the sunbeams that shine through our own surrendered hearts.
And as an anonymous quote so beautifully puts it: “May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds, are best relieved by the letting of a little water. Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life—the evening beam that smiles the clouds away and tints tomorrow with sunshine.”
So if today finds you in the rain, take heart. The lushness is growing. The beauty is on its way. And through it all, God is with you—very present, strong, and faithful.
