Learning to Love in the Rain July 11, 2012
There’s something sexy about the rain.
She said as it came pouring down.
It feels like kisses on my skin.
She spread her arms and spun around.
~ Kenny Chesney, There’s Something Sexy About the Rain
I haven’t run in about ten days. It’s been extremely hot and humid where I live and though I’m not one to really hate on the heat, my last run during said weather ended in me getting sick. I’ve figured a bit of exercise wasn’t worth hours of heat sickness. So, I’ve done all my workouts indoors.
I can tell I haven’t had a run in a while. My stress level feels high and my mood feels low. Since, for me, running equates to spending uninterrupted time with the Lord not getting that particular kind of time with Him has yielded pretty unproductive results.
Today the heat broke. And though there was rain in the air I grabbed my sneakers, pulled up the Chris Tomlin Pandora station on my iPod, and took off to the neighborhoods around me.
The rain began falling in plump steady drops about 5 minutes into my 40 minute trail. I could have easily turned back, but the early lines from Kenny Chesney’s There’s Something Sexy About the Rain started running through my mind. There’s something so beautiful about the rain. Today it felt like being in the middle of my Creator reinvigorating my soul.
Because running has become more therapy to me than exercise I miss it when I’m not doing it. I miss feeling my body getting stronger as I push for one more step. I miss commenting on some animal I’m sure to see on my journey and thanking God for its creation. I miss listening to inspirational music which leads me to sing/pray the lyrics all along my route.
I miss being in community with the Lord that shows my utter weakness and His pure strength.
Today though… Today I felt loved. My God created intimacy through the rain falling on me. And I realized how much I need to know He loves me. Really loves me. As much as I want my maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan and tiny wild children in my life, as much as I adore my parents, brother & sister-in-law, as much as I delight in my friends… Their human loves doesn’t make up for not feeling loved by my Heavenly Father.
No matter how much love we have in our lives, we always yearn for more.
I don’t think any of us can ever be loved enough.
But, when we seek love and affirmation from the people around us, we’re often left a bit empty. For me, there’s always a bit missing. I can be loved on by friends and family on a regular basis but I still want more. Crave more. Need more. I often find friends in unhealthy dating relationships because they expect the other person to “complete them” (darn you, Jerry McGuire). As far as I know, it doesn’t work that way. We’re made to be completed by many facets and the major facet lies in allowing Jesus to be our all in all.
What does allowing Jesus to be my all have to do with falling in love in the rain today? Everything. As I ran I bathed in the kisses on my skin. Sweet kisses of acknowledgment, encouragement, pride, and love from my Creator. I lifted my face to the sky more than once as I felt the rain fall on me. Peace and joy surrounded me.
And, if you’ll allow them, peace and joy will surround you too. So many of you reach out to me in various forms to thank me for opening my heart to you. Thank you for that. Times arise when I think I’m laying my heart on the line for no reason besides just my innate need to write.
Though since you reach out you also enter my thoughts as I write. I write for you. I write to encourage you. And I also write to challenge you. I could have easily stayed inside today and ignored the calling of the pavement. But, I knew I needed time with God and He’d present a blessing. We often miss our blessings because we stay in a space of contentment. Don’t stay.
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass.
It’s about learning to dance in the rain. ~ Vivian Green
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