Sprinkles and Downpours
By Lisa Lakey
I recently attended an outdoor concert with my husband and kids. It was hot, sticky, and humid, but the company of friends and some of our favorite contemporary Christian artists far outweighed the negative of a Southern summer flare-up.
Until it started to rain. What started as a misty sprinkle, quickly turned into a downpour.
“Nope, don’t like this,” I told our group.
It was the final act, so I didn’t hesitate to pack up our chairs and head to the parking lot. By the time we loaded everything into the trunk and dropped our soaked selves into the seats, I was done. Done dripping, sliding, and wiping mascara from my eyes. Ready for a shower, dry clothes, and a little binge-watching.
But the following morning at church, as I recounted the night with another friend, I was taken aback by our wildly different responses to the rain.
When it started to pour, my friend threw her hands in the air as she continued singing with the worship band. “It was like we were all being baptized again … together.”
I guess it’s all about the attitude you choose.
How often have I let my attitude taint the experiences around me? Even in my marriage?
The husband and I have been through more than a few sprinkles and downpours in our nearly 20 years together. But looking back, God was always good. Even what I saw as devastation (financial troubles, betrayals, all the times we wanted to call it quits), God was working in and through us to make us better … stronger.
When rain comes in your marriage—and make no mistake, it will—what will be your posture? Hands in the air amazed at God’s goodness? Or head down, trudging toward the exit?
The Good Stuff: Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. (James 5:18)
Action Points: Whatever weather you and your spouse are walking through today, throw your hands in the air in praise of the God who sees your pain and struggle. Ask Him to help change your attitude toward your situation or even your spouse.
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