Tressa Jo, This is so beautiful and worth the reading, thanks sis! Wet Leaves Every since I was a child, I’ve always loved the rain & thunder. I would sit on the porch & gaze into the streams of rain. I’d look up high to see if I could see its beginning. Then I’d look to the ground to see its ending crash to the ground. I absolutely, love the sound of rain. The harder it rained, the harder my spirit smiled on the inside. I also loved the sound of thunder (still do). I felt like I was in heaven if I could witness a hard rain & hear the thunder at the same time. As I sat by the window during my lunch, I noticed the trees as it rained. Trees are so beautiful. My favorite color has always been green. The green leaves beautifully highlight creation on a sunny day. They actually look happy. But during the heavy rain, they aren’t so perky. They sag underneath the weight of the rain. They droop and almost look sad. The rains have a way of giving the leaves a countenance of defeat or sorrow. But when the rain stops and the sun starts to shine, it’s seems that they are greener & more vibrant than before. As I pondered the thoughts rolling through my head from some grief I was experiencing, the Spirit whispered words of comfort to me by way of the wet leaves. He reminded me that the leaves on a tree during a storm are much like the life of a child of God. In life, we are so vibrant & beautiful during the seasons of sunshine. There’s no mistaking that we are with God. Our countenance is the most beautiful green you’d ever want to see. But every now and then God will send the rains. Then our countenance starts to change. But even though our appearance is different, we’re still green & we’re still on the Tree. Our spirits start to droop from sorrow and sag from the weight of burdens. Sometimes, we feel troubled on every side. But what the Spirit whispered to me was that the same rains that causes the leaves to droop & sag are the same rains that washes them clean & gives them what they need to survive the next season. So it is with life. There will be times in our lives that cause us sorrow, pain, hurt, distress & the like. We will droop and sag in our faith; in our spirit; in our hope. We may even get to the point of wanting to give up; let go of the branch & fall to the ground and die. But then, God allows the rains to stop just in time. He allows the sun to shine another day. He reminds me that the rains wash us & prepare us to bear good fruit. He says “If I don’t send the rains, you couldn’t produce any fruit.” The rain purge you of the infirmities in your spirit. Like Jesus, we too, have to learn obedience by the things we suffer. The rain also gives us that life giving moisture that we will need to make it to the next season. When you think about the nature of any plant or tree, it takes water, light & dirt to survive. You have to be planted and rooted in the good soil. You have to be exposed to the life giving Light. And you have to receive the cleansing & nurturing element of the water. When God sends the rain, He knows just the right amount it will take to get you to produce the best fruit for your growth & His glory. Therefore, next time the rain comes, realize that the same rain that brings you down is the same rain that God purpose to lift you up.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 19:58:41 +0000