"I'll Take the Flowers...and the Showers!"
This past week I heard a familiar saying, "April showers bring May flowers" and then, I heard someone say "well, I want the pretty flowers, but I just don't want to deal with all those showers!". For some reason this stuck with me through the remainder of the day and, I thought to myself, isn't that the truth about how we view life...we DO want the flowers, but we would prefer to pass on those nasty showers that come our way. We are quick to bemoan the bad things that come our way. We grumble about the storm clouds. We complain about the rainy days. However, it is after these storms that we see rainbows. It is after the storm clouds that we see clear skies. It is after the raindrops that we see the beautiful flowers. Yes, in life, we will face those "rainy, cloudy and stormy days", but they will be followed by blue skies and sunshine if we stay the course and "weather" the storms.
If I may, allow me to share two simple things that can help us through those "showers" of life.
Have you ever noticed how being around someone who constantly praises the Lord can lift your spirits and encourage you? It's true!! When we focus on how good God truly is and when we praise Him, it will help us get through those difficult times in life. Does it mean that the storm clouds are invisible or will never come? No, but when we praise God through the storms, we allow Him to be our focal point rather than the storm itself. This is my first point:
1. PRAISE HIM
Psalms 34:1 says, "I will bless the Lord at ALL times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." vs. 3, "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us EXALT his name together..."
No matter what we go through, we must find something for which we can praise Him. He is good all the time even in the storm. We must keep His praise constantly in our mouths! Also, we should praise Him with others...find someone and share the praise of His goodness. By doing this, we can be encouraged and we can be an encouragement to others.
Next, I don't know about you, but when I am driving and there are torrential downpours of rain, my hands are generally clutching the steering wheel. Why? Well, because I can't see what lies ahead and my vision is blurred due to the blinding rain. I have to keep my eyes keenly focused on the lines placed on the road for me to follow. If I don't, I will lose my way. This brings me to my second thought:
2. WALK with HIM through prayer and the Bible
Psalms 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Psalms 119:97, "O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day."
Psalms 63:1, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee..."
When life seems to be blinding and we aren't sure which way to go because ahead all one can see is storm clouds, it is especially during this time that we need the Word of God to guide us. The Bible and His words will "light" the path and help through these difficult times. We must be reading His word and hearing His word through preaching and teaching. We must also be praying and allowing Him to speak to our hearts. It is through our time of prayer that we can be still and allow Him to calm those raging seas in our lives. It is a must that we seek God through prayer and that we read His Word daily and allow it to saturate us preparing us for what lies ahead in life.
All around us are hurting people who need to know that those "May flowers" are coming. They need to know that Christ is there and He will help them through the storms of life. We need to be anchored in Him through PRAISE and PRAYER ready to help others and able to survive the storms that He allows to come our way.
There have been many things in my own life that I thought would be impossible for me to face, but each and every time that I chose to weather the storm and stay the course, God was always faithful to show me the "flowers of blessings" that came from those "showers of rain". Someone needed me to stay the course; someone needed me to weather the storms; and someone needed me to keep going through the rainclouds...it hasn't always been easy, but with His help I am continuing to learn in my life to say, "I'll take the April showers if it helps someone else to see those May flowers". I want to be a blessing to others and I want to be blessed by God.
Remember, sweet lady, when those April showers (or storms) come, hang on because those May flowers are just around the bend...I promise!
From my heart,
Robyn
Pastor's Wife to Jack Bachman
Calvary Baptist Church of Memphis, TN
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