This morning, we saw the sunshine for the first time in over a week here in eastern Missouri. The pond in my backyard was nearly full of water for the first time in months. The wild turkeys were playing a game of tag. The squirrels had a new skip in their step as they ran across the yard. The grass was almost showing a glint of green after a long, cold winter.

It was a wet week at our house. We had nearly a week with clouds, rain, fog, and a bit of sleet without sunshine. It is well known that in climates that lack sunshine, there is a higher incidence of depression and hopelessness. You begin to wonder, after several days of clouds and rain, if there will ever be another day of sunshine. You can almost feel yourself develop a sense of hopelessness after an extended period of sunlessness.

But, that early spring morning after a rain, like today, should give us a reason for hope. Seeing nature come alive after the rain is our payback for those dreary days. In many ways, especially after a period of drought, rain works a miracle in the life of nature. It refreshes, provides nourishment, and injects a dose of hope in what may have been a difficult period.

In the same way, we may experience periods of rain in our own lives. In fact, we may even experience an entire rainy season that can deplete us of energy and cause despair, defeat, and discouragement. For some, these periods of rain can become so severe that they literally lose hope. Today, I want to encourage those of you in the midst of such a season to look at the miracle of rain in our lives. When we realize the purpose of rainy days or rainy seasons is to provide nourishment and refreshment, our perspective changes. When we realize that the sun will eventually shine, we can have hope that our lives will be refreshed and a period of growth will occur.

Let me give an example… For the last 8 months we have experienced a period of drought at our home. The water level in the pond in our backyard was declined 2-3 feet. There were areas along the shore that had receded 12 feet or more, exposing mud, rocks, and clay. Not only was this unsightly, but it was starting to become a concern for the fish and other wildlife in the pond. However, in just a few days of rain, the pond water levels had nearly returned to full pool levels. A few days of rain had completely erased the impact of 8 months of drought. The “season of rain” has provided a completely fresh perspective on the pond and wildlife around it. On the other side of the rain, nature celebrated.

The same can be true in our lives. On the other side of the rainy period you may be experiencing, is a time of celebration. The miracle of rain to clean, refresh, and replenish will be evident in your own life. Be patient and trust that a day of sunshine will come to you and you will experience the miracle that comes to your life.