Is the rain keeping you from singing?  Have you recently clashed with someone about your faith?  Perhaps it means you’re now getting the cold shoulder from  someone you’ve known a very long time and care greatly  about? If this is true for you, it can really hurt, and can result  in painful self recrimination and soul searching. I’ve been  there.

Its times like this we need to remember that, even though the  enemy may attempt to convince us to the contrary, it’s not our
fault when others choose to steer a different path away from  the Lord and from us. What’s really important is where we sit
with God.

Proverbs 18:24 tells us; “There is a friend who sticks closer  than a brother.” That is the man Christ Jesus.  We read in Hebrews 18:5 “I will never leave you nor forsake  you.”  That’s a promise we can all claim.

Jeremiah 33:3 tells us; “Call unto me and I will answer you  and show great and mighty things that you don’t know
about.”

We can’t even begin to imagine what our heavenly Father has  planned for our lives, but one thing we do know, is that when
we are confronted by life’s greatest stresses and  disappointments, it’s then that our heavenly Father can do the
greatest work in our lives. If we let him. If we call on his  name. If we chose to listen and to obey.
In the movie ‘Shrek,’ our hero explained that ogres were like  onions, with many layers. We Christians are like that too and,
little be little, our Heavenly Father is peeling away those  layers, and replacing our own flawed nature with more and
more of his divine character.

Sometimes, that process can really hurt, but it’s the only way  God can bring us closer to who he wants us to be. You don’t
get growth without a bit of rain. Ask any farmer.

Paul urged Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1, 3; “Therefore, be  strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And you, therefore,
endure hardship as a good soldier in Jesus Christ.”

So, if you’re going through a little pain, then rejoice! God  hasn’t finished with you yet. Friends may let you down, but
God never will.
Clem Wigmore