Holding Onto Hope During Life’s Drizzles

Oh, the weather in Wales can be as unpredictable as my fibromyalgia! For the month of October, we are dog-sitting for some friends, which means there are two dogs underfoot, two dogs to feed, two dogs to walk, and two doggie schedules to work around. Well, today, Jason is working at the Community Luncheon Club, which leaves me on dog duty for the day. I had resigned to the fact that I was not likely going to get much accomplished, but I was leery about how and when to do our daily walk. That brings me to the Welsh weather.

The entire morning has been drizzly, so I knew it would likely be a wet walk. Still, I was hopeful. By mid-morning, both dogs were vibrating with energy, so I decided it would be best to go ahead and get the walk out of the way. The weather seemed to be holding to a mild drizzle, so I got myself and the dogs ready, and we headed out the door.

We hadn't even gotten out of the driveway before the rain grew heavier. Then, it returned to a drizzle. Then it grew heavy again. This pattern continued for the entire walk, on and on. Just another day in Wales!

After getting inside, I dried everyone off and worked to get everyone settled before starting a little housework. We hadn't been in for five minutes when I looked out the window and spotted the sunshine and blue skies. Seriously?

This is a common experience in Wales, as the weather is unpredictable. But one of the best things about it is that we have some of the most frequent and vibrant rainbows on the planet. (Unfortunately, I haven't seen one yet today.)

Anyway, all the crazy weather and the thought of rainbows brought my mind to God's promise to Noah and a truth I recently learned.

I don't know about you, but I often expect God's promises to be a motivational speech delivered directly to my emotions. I want to feel the impact of His words in my heart, and when I don't, I assume He's not keeping His end of the bargain.

However, the Bible states the primary purpose of the rainbow is for God Himself: "And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth" (Genesis 9:16, KJV).

Did you catch that? God put the rainbow in the sky so that he could look on it and remember. The promise that strengthens our endurance is that God remembers, even when we forget. Our strength isn't in our ability to flawlessly quote Scripture on a bad day. It's in the certainty that God is looking at His own covenant and remaining faithful to it, regardless of the funk we're in.

This truth relieves us of the pressure to "make the promise work" and places the burden of faithfulness back on Him. We don't have to muster up the right emotions or conjure up the perfect faith. We simply need to trust that God is true to His word, even when we can't see or feel the evidence of it.

I've had days where I've felt as useful as a chocolate teapot. My body aches, my mind's a whirl, and I'm sure I'm not doing anything right. But even on those days, God's promise is still there, like a rainbow in the sky. It's not about my feelings or my ability to shake off my blues. It's about God's faithfulness, and that's something I can always count on.

So, the next time you're feeling a bit like Eeyore, remember the rainbow. Remember that God's promises are not just for you; they're for Him. He looks upon His own covenant and remembers His commitment to you, even when you can't see or feel it. Rest in the assurance that His faithfulness is not contingent on your emotions or performance, but on His unchanging character and steadfast love.