Life isn’t about avoiding the storms…
it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
This painting was done by me to remind me not to forget to dance.
I hate problems, don’t you? So often troubles become storms and drown the happiness and joy out of my life. Unfortunately, as long as we live in this broken world, storms are inevitable.
It is promised in the Bible. “…He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” And, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though some strange thing were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” Matthew 5:45 and 1 Peter 4:12-13
Wait, what does that last verse say? “Don’t be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering… BUT REJOICE…” But rejoice? Really? When we have health problems, money trouble, and everything is crashing down, rejoice?
Someone named Vivian Greene once said, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Dancing means trusting God that He will work it all out for good in the end. It means enjoying ourselves despite what’s going on around us. And it means moving forward and making lemonade from the lemons that life gives.
We can hide in fear, strike out in anger, or collapse with depression. OR… we can accept that life is hard most of the time. Then we fuel our faith, reach out with joy and learn to dance.
Here are some dancers that we find in the Bible:
Dancers in the Bible:
- MARY:
MARY was in a storm. Pregnant, unmarried, reputation ruined. Her story of the angel was not believed. Her fiancé planned to “put her away.” At first, she ran from the storm and “went into the hill country with haste” to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. There…she learned to dance.
Elizabeth, being filled with the Holy Spirit, shouted with joy and reminded Mary what she was, (blessed) and who she was.
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
Mary realized God was greater than her storm, so then she proclaimed, “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation…” (From Luke 1:26-56)
- PAUL
PAUL was a prisoner, chained in the hold of a ship in the middle of a storm that lasted for days. What was he doing? Praying and trusting God. In the belly of the ship, God met him. Storms are like that. They force us to pray. They strip away everything and bring us face to face with what really matters.
After God talked to him, he told his captors, “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island.”
So Paul escaped the storm, (Oh, good) but then he was shipwrecked. (Uh oh, bad) What did he do? He got to work. (Oh, good.) But because of his work he got bit by a poisonous snake. (Uh oh, bad.) But because of his bite, he got a miracle. (Now we’re back to good again, and with God, our stories always end with good.)
Here’s the story in Acts 27. “When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ‘No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.’ But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.”
How to be a DANCER:
| D | Do the practical things that need to be done. Even when everything is crashing around you, just keep on keeping on. What did Paul do when he was a castaway? He helped others. He picked up sticks. That led to his next miracle. |
| A | Accept reality and adapt to change. Paul had a “thorn in the flesh” that he had to, by grace, learn to accept. Mary told the angel, “Let it be to me according to your word.” She accepted the changes God made in her life without fighting or complaining. Mary adapted to the new role that God chose for her. And they both worshiped. |
| N | Nullify negativity. Cheer up and count your blessings. No matter how bad the storm, the sun is still shining above the clouds. Go out of your way and look for the things that are going right. Seek out the rainbows. Then write them down and tape them to your wall so you can remember them later. |
| C | Connect with God. Trust Him. We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 Allow your trouble to bring you to your knees. Perhaps the storm is God’s way of changing you into who He wants you to become. To bring you closer to Him. |
| E | Engage with others. Scientists have found that good social relationships are the best predictor of a happy life. Plan fun outings with a friend. Call and connect with your church family outside of the church. Mend those dicey family relationships. We need each other. We are at our best when we are together. |
| R | Relax. Breathe deeply. Don’t let stress control you. Take a walk and enjoy God’s creation. Eat right and get physical activity. When you take care of yourself and lower your stress, your mood will lift, and you’ll have the energy to dance. |
We think of rain as being bad, but it is what makes the plants grow. It fills the reservoirs so we have water to drink. Without rain, life would disappear from the earth. Clouds are what make the sunset beautiful. Rain makes the colors of the plants look brighter. Not too many smells are better than the woods after the rain. Just think about how calming it is to listen to the sounds of raindrops falling onto trees or your roof.
Storms will come. Rain must fall. You can choose to be miserable. Or you can choose to learn to dance in the rain. Quit dodging the issues. Stop complaining. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength.
Put on those dancing shoes and start dancing!
Quotable Quotes:
- “God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.” Vance Havner
- “Choose Joy. Don’t wait for things to get easier, simpler, better. Life will always be complicated. Learn to be happy right now.”
- “Into each life, some rain must fall.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- “No person has the right to rain on your dreams.” Martin Luther King Jr.
- “And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” Gilbert K. Chesterton
- “Some people dance in the rain. Other people just get wet.”
- “Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.” Bill Watterson
- “Think about it: Dancing in the rain is the opposite of doing a rain dance. Gotta love the English language.” Me
- “It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent.” Dave Barry
- Read this quickly: “The storm starts, when the drops start dropping. When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping.” Dr. Seuss
Storms will come. Rain must fall. You can choose to be miserable. Or you can choose to learn to dance in the rain! Quit dodging the issues. So stop complaining. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength. And put on those dancing shoes and start dancing!
For more on the subject:
In the section above, “How to be a DANCER,” it talks about “Engaging with others.” It’s true. Connections lead to happiness.
Some science on the subject:
