Behind a cloudy sky

Personal Photo: I snagged this photo of this vibrant rainbow during our last trip to Maui, Hawaii, and I can't help but think about how different the photo would look if we were in the rainstorm on the left side of the arch. The sun is already out on the other side, highlighting the beautiful prism of colors, but we would have to be hopeful for it if we were in the midst of the storm in order to know what to look forward to!

My nose was pressed against the glass of the door that opened up to our backyard, as I waited to go outside. It was one of the years in the late 2000s, and like almost every other late July, our beautiful green grass was turning crisp and colorless with the lack of rain and intense heat of the sun. We were outside, when we noticed the maple leaves on our trees had turned inside out, a sure sign that rain was nearby. As the big drops of water began to tumble from the dark clouds that stomped their way into our blue sky, we all came inside, while my brother and I ran back to our bedrooms to change clothes. This was a rainstorm, not a thunderstorm, meaning that it was safe to be outside while it passed through. We grabbed our swimsuits, threw them on, and met by the back door, ready to run outside to play. We beelined it for the trampoline and bounced and slipped and squealed with delight. The rain was pouring now, making my long blonde hair stick to my face and neck, and the dirt from our bare feet drip off our toes as we quickly became soaked in the midafternoon storm.

Like most summer rainstorms, they only last a bit, and then we are left with puddles that will soak into the ground after a while the smell of the damp air, and our soaked swimsuits hanging outside to dry in the sun that is bound to return. The rain was much needed, and the flower petals seemed to glow with the drops of water resting on them. Without the rain, our lush backyard was turning into a desert, and was suffocating with the intense lack of reprieve. I was reminded of this memory just a few days ago, when my mom was talking about my grandma's favorite song when she was a senior in high school. Taking a step back into the 1950s, we played "Cry" by Johnnie Ray, a tune that encouraged you to "go ahead and cry" when you are feeling down. As I listened, one of the lines caught my ear for a moment longer, when Johnnie pointed out that "sunshine can be found behind a cloudy sky." A fact so true and simple, I realized that we can so often be caught up in our own storm that we fail to remember sunny days are going to come back. Having the perspective to know that rain is only temporary allows us to make the most of it, to see the rainbow coming after, and appreciate how we need the rain to remind us of how warm the sunshine feels.

I really found this song about crying to capture my attention with its encouragement to feel every moment in its fullest, knowing that when we are doing so, we are bound to feel better again. In life, our perspective is usually what holds us back from doing this. We fail to remember the sun still shines behind a cloudy sky, that God still works amidst the darkness, that He still is loving and teaching us through our hardships. We can find ourselves focusing on what we don't have, the things we are missing, that we miss the chance to appreciate where we are right now. We have all come a long way from where we started, and as easy as that is to forget, each day is a new opportunity to shift our perspective to be above the clouds, so we can dance in the rain when it comes.

Perspective can be challenging when we find ourselves amidst a storm and feel as though the sunshine will never return. Many storms in life last longer than the brief rainstorms of my youth, and they come with pain and hurt. However, it does not change the fact that God is still there, above the pain, loving us and bringing to us comfort. James 1:2-4 highlights the importance of changing the way we look at things: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." We need the rain to grow, my friends, and without it, we would have no appreciation for when it goes away. This verse flips the stereotype on its head, telling us to rejoice when we are struggling, to be grateful for the chance to put our faith into action, to dance in the rain, rather than let it destroy us.

We might consider how truly hard it is to actually appreciate when we struggle, and beyond this, how challenging it is to enjoy the seasons of peace in our lives when we can hear the rumble of chaos coming our way. In this way, we find ourselves enjoying none of it, worried about the past or future, or crumbling beneath the weight of hardship and stress. Philippians 4:6-7 addresses this kind of worry, when it tells us "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Here we are told again to live in the moment, appreciating and giving thanks for every breath of life, and depending upon our perspective as children of God to know that He is listening to every prayer we pray, and with us in every situation. When we tackle life with this attitude, this determination to really live each day, we find our faith becomes stronger with our trustworthy and loving Lord. We have no need to worry when we remember He is always there, and in control of every day.

Changing our point of view on life is a daily reset, and I recognize that is no small feat. When we have weeks and weeks of searching for the sunshine, we can almost forget how it feels to be warmed by it. In the same way, we can feel lonely when God's presence is not obvious to us, when it feels as though He is not answering our prayers. When these times come, it is critical that we look for Him in places that we have been glazing over. He is always there, encouraging us to seek Him out, to find new ways to appreciate the moment we are in. I mentioned above that we can flip the stereotype of wallowing in our pain by rejoicing in the chance to grow, but I want to now reference Romans 5:3-5, which takes it a step further: "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. " Hope is the single most powerful and effective way in changing the way we look at things. When we need to shift our perspective, to find God's hand working in our lives, we can do this through remaining hopeful. This hope empowers us and equips us with the tools to live in every moment, to appreciate the season we are in, and make the most of each day.

As we each navigate our own patches of weather, I pray that we can remember to shift our focus, to remind ourselves that the sun still shines above a cloudy sky, and that we develop stronger faith and more powerful hope when we allow ourselves to live in each moment and appreciate every season of life we are in. God is with us in all times and hears every prayer we send His way, and we can remain encouraged by this promise of companionship. Rain allows us to appreciate the sun, and with no rain, we would find our growth suffocated and dry. The next time the storm clouds come rolling through, I hope we all remember to shift our perspective so we can dance in the rain!