Summertime Lesson

I stood at my kitchen sink this morning. Glancing out the window, something caught my attention and suddenly all time stood still. God was giving me a summer-time lesson on life.

Right outside that window is our pool; but that's not actually what caught my eye. It was actually the sight of tiny ringlets of water ripples forming across the surface of the water. I just stood there perplexed, and continued to watch; then it dawned on me what was actually causing those formations. Raindrops so tiny that they weren't even visible to my eye...yet they were there.

A few moments later, I looked again and there were more and more tiny ringlets forming as a gentle - now visible - light shower of raindrops fell. I stood there for a few moments more and thought about prayers for refreshing rains to fall in my soul. 

"Repent ye...when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"    

Acts 3:19

Ouch! Sometimes I do it without even realizing it. I get all wrapped up in doing life; things are good and I can easily say, "It is well with my soul!" We all love those moments in the journey, don't we? Moving right along, and everything is just peachy we might tack on to the description of our days. 

But then days come when, all the sudden I find myself struggling. It gets really messy! It's probably a bit (or a lot) of pride, but I try to do the Biblical thing and encourage myself in the Lord. You know, I attempt to handle things on my own. Don't we all do it at times or am I alone on this one? I tell myself, "OK, you need to shore up here. Don't be distracted! Don't fall for that trick again. Be wise! Shake yourself off and get up and go on. You should be more grown than this!" We know all the right things to say I suppose. However, were we made or expected to be so independent? 

We all must mature in our Christian walk, but do we ever really get BIG enough to do it on our own? No, as awful as it may sound, I'm (we're) needy at times. Our Father made us to be dependent upon Him and each other. There are indeed times when we're not supposed to "handle it on our own." Yet, I admit, it's hard at times to open up and admit I'm struggling. Even though it's more-than-alright to do so.

When I run to the arms of my loving Savior; He never turns me away. I repent and ask Him to forgive my stubbornness and wash my heart clean once again...I ask for that refreshing rain to fall gently into my heart and renew my mind. One of the beautiful things about God is that He is always faithful to do so. 

There's truly nothing like being in His presence! There, as I open myself to Him, He restores. I suppose I imagine those refreshing rains kind of like the gentle rain that made those tiny ringlets of ripples in our pool this morning. It was a beautiful reminder of God's gentle touch, His unconditional love and faithfulness toward me. I am reminded that I need Him, that I cannot - and am not expected to - do this on my own. 

Beautiful, refreshing ringlets...always available for me and you. Sweet refreshing rains in the presence of the Lord. It is well with my soul!