Embrace This
For a week straight, I checked multiple weather websites and obsessed over the impending rain. I'm not kidding- we had our first camping trip of the season planned and it was calling for flash floods and inches of rain. Do we stay home? Do we go and suffer through it? After a lot of debating we decided we would skip the first night and go for the second night. The forecast was still ugly, but it wouldn't be quite as bad the second night. It was frustrating, but I couldn't control it. I went to bed that Friday night praying that God would help me to just let it go. It was ridiculous really, the amount of mental energy I gave to the weather forecast. I wanted things to go perfectly and camping in the rain wasn't going to fit that description. I felt defeated because I couldn't control the weather. What is wrong with me!? The next morning I woke up with the word embrace on my heart. I felt God pressing that word into my heart... embrace the rain, embrace life. So many things were stacked against us, it was pouring when we were preparing to leave (and the camper was popped up because we had been putting stuff in it), and the beds got wet. Embrace this, Lord? When we got to the campground it wasn't raining but the power was out so we had no electricity at our site and none of the bathhouses were open. Really Lord, embrace this? While we were setting up the camper, one of the jackstands broke. Things definitely weren't starting out very well.
We decided to go hiking at Crabtree Falls right down the road from the campground. It was cloudy and a little misty but I was determined to embrace this trip. We put on our hiking shoes (rain boots for the kids) and we set out on the trail. Surprisingly, we had the best time! The waterfalls were full from all the rain and it was breathtaking. The trail was a muddy, rocky, wet mess and the kids loved every minute of it. It was as if we had been transported to a rainforest. The kids picked up orange newts, squealed over the beauty of the falls, explored caves and splashed through mud. It was basically what kid's dreams are made of. They had a blast and so did we. I kept thinking, this is amazing Lord, thank you for this!
As I was standing at the falls, looking at the beauty surrounding me, I was floored. It was more beautiful because of the rain. The hike was more fun because of the rain. God knew what He was doing and I almost missed it because I couldn't let go of my vision for the trip.
I wasted so much time worrying about what I couldn't control. How often do we do that? How often do we give the Lord our concerns in our prayers but then take them back as soon as we say amen? Sometimes the most unlikely things turn out to be blessings. God can take the rain in our lives and make it beautiful. He can use it for our good. So next time you find yourself worrying over something that you can't control, take it to God in prayer, believe that He is in control, and embrace what is right in front of you- even if it isn't what you envisioned. He is faithful, and can bring beauty from the rain.
Heavenly Father, thank you so much for Your control! Help me to relinquish mine. Help me to trust you more and worry less. Your plans are better than mine. You must become greater, I must become less. (John 3:30). Help me to trust You more and to embrace this life you've blessed me with.
