Behind the cartoon:
Fleur is a flower who comes across a friend. Fleur greets her friend and asks her how she’s doing. Fleur’s friend (who is missing a few petals) replies that she’s anxious about the next time it‘ll rain. Fleur, who‘s experienced the good things that rain (trials) can do to flowers encourages her friend to set her guard down (the umbrella) as Fleur knows that the rain will promote growth.
Fleur’s friend being aware of some of the good things that rain can do to flowers also confesses that regardless of the good outcome, rain is still scary. In her opinion it’s better to stay prepared as she knows fro that rain will happen again. And again.
Fleur understands her friend as she knows that rain is no easy thing to undergo; especially alone. Fleur validates her friend’s fear and lets her know that she‘s not alone. Next, Fleur volunteers to go through the storm with her friend. And finally, as Fleur‘s friend thanks Fleur and the rain continues above their heads, she sets her umbrella down and they both embrace the beauty of her new shiny petals!
By now I hope you understand the moral of the story.
I titled this blog “Joy in Hardships & Community” as this is exactly what hardships and community feel like to me. I’ve been on both Fleur’s and her friend’s side of things. Feeling as though I must always keep my guard up because I sense something bad is going to happen (again and again). Living on edge and exhausted because I feel like every day I’m fighting just to stay alive; on survival mode is what you call it. What a joy it is to find friends who in those hard moments when you’re standing in a puddle of rain water can look you in the eye and say.. “Hey, I’ve been here before (or haven’t), you don’t have to go through this alone”.
Hardships & Community.
Similar to Fleur, I’ve also witnessed how God’s Word remains true despite my circumstances. The more I tried to protect myself the more I robbed myself from experiencing the joy of being His. He is my protector. He is my help and my shield (Psalm 33:22). God is working ALL things for my good. Including the rain that I often foolishly ask Him not to send more of. Truthfully, I don’t always understand how the rain is good for me; but if God calls it good then it MUST be good.
When I felt that the rain was too much and that it would surely drown me, I entrusted others and let them inside my storm. To help me as God worked the waters for my good. I now so boldly recognize that growth happened in every tough season of my life. New petals formed every-time. I’m forever thankful to God and His people.
As James says: count it all joy.
We don’t rejoice because trials are easy to endure, we rejoice because steadfastness (firm and unwavering faith) is promised after the test. At the same time, as we allow steadfastness to take full effect it then makes us mature and complete in Christ. Ultimately trials allow us to encounter God in ways we wouldn’t without them and for that we call them good.
<3
“There are rare and wonderful species of joy that flourish only in the rainy atmosphere of suffering.“ - John Piper
Be Joyful
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