The heavens opened wide—the wet surprise causing children to run into their mother’s arms.
Dusty roads make me excited for rain. When the rainy season comes to Tanzania, flowers bloom and shouts of praise rise. Baby animals sheepishly make their entrance. Children dance to rain beating on the church roof. Sometimes, our children’s program is only dancing because no one can hear over the storm. At night, we thank the Lord for the moments we have electricity. We play card games and tell stories because the rains stop life as we know it. There’s something impractically exciting about rainy season.
With rainy season also comes a grace for Sabbath rest. Let the Lord water the soil; it’s His anyway. Ministry must wait an hour or two since everyone is hidden away from the storm. No electricity means no working at home in the dark. All that’s left is to enjoy one another and rest in the Lord’s goodness.
My first year in Tanzania, this season of rest baffled me. We have snow tires and boots in the United States. Nothing stops work there. We must control our situation, not be controlled by it. This need to achieve no matter the situation exhausts many well-meaning people and leaves little white space for relationships.
What if my electricity shortages and the culture where shops are closed in the rain allow a divine grace to slow down my otherwise controlling lifestyle? What if the rain helps me let go of control and choose Sabbath rest and trust? What if the rain helps me remember God is the One in control after all?
Rainy seasons and storms will come in our lives. In these times, we can find grace, rest, and deeper peace as we trust God’s control.
Ask God to help you experience His grace during your storms.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Michelle Heed and her husband of fifteen years are missionaries working with orphans and the vulnerable poor in Tanzania, Africa. She is originally from New York. She and her husband have one adopted daughter and two cats that believe they are people.