Dancing in the rain......

The heat outside is beyond brutal. As I gaze at the thermometer sitting on our windowsill the numbers 102 stare back at me. Other than last weekends storms we really havent had much rain all summer so far. Rain can be an inconvenience but is also necessary to penetrate the roots and cause growth and nourishment. When we first moved into our current house I found a quote decal that was just perfect for our kitchen. The words say this "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass it's learning to dance in the rain." 

So often when storms come we run and hide, we fight the chaos with every ounce of strength we have and instead of embracing it and using it for growth and nourishment we avoid it. The storms in life are unavoidable at times, there will always be painful circumstances, relationship stressors, deaths, financial struggles, and everyday chaos but instead of allowing those difficult things in life over take us and wash over us negatively we can take those painful moments and allow them to prune us and promote growth. Although we may not always understand the storms we face God is bigger than the pain and can use them to bring glory and honor to Him and hope to us. We are loved by a God who is purposful and mighty who is never afraid of our circumstances or sin and instead reaches down in the midst of our storms and changes the noise to sweet music so that we can dance in the midst of the chaos. "You have turned our mourning into dancing, You have turned our sorrow into joy."  

"Hear, O Lord, have mercy and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,To the end that my tongue and my heart and everything glorious within me may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." Psalm 30:10-12

Through the love of Christ we can be reminded that happiness is not based on our circumstances but instead the unconditional love and promises of God. Whatever your facing today God is capable of stepping in and fighting the battles for you. "Places where grace is soon to be so amazing, may be unfulfilled they may be unrestored but anything that's shattered and is laid before the Lord just watch and see it will not be unredeemed."

"The enemy wanted to change your destiny through a series of events, but God will restore you to wholeness as if the events had never happened. The triumphant woman locked inside shall come forth to where she belongs. He's delivering her. He's releasing her. He's restoring her. He's building her back. He's bringing her out. He's delivering by the power of His Spirit. The anointing of the living God is reaching out to you. He calls you forth to set you free. When you reach out to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way, His anointing is present to deliver you." T.D. Jakes

Whatever your facing He is there, lay it at the feet of the empty cross, take His hand and dance....