Do you remember the film the Wizard of Oz? Yesterday I was walking in the rain trying to keep dry under my hood and I remembered the scene where the witch is melted by water. Apparently I’m not a witch because I didn’t melt! In the film the witch sets the scarecrow on fire and so Dorothy throws water to put the fire out and it just so happens to hit the witch for whom it’s lethal. Given that the witch knows that water will kill her don’t you think it’s strange that she leaves a bucket full within handy reach of her prisoners?
The rain doesn’t melt us, but it can make us miserable. How often have you said or heard something like: ‘We were going to go out but we’re not now because it’s raining’? Why is it that we’re afraid of getting wet? Most of us own coats and umbrellas, so what’s the problem? We have baths or showers fairly often so we are not allergic to getting wet. Why can the rain dampen our spirits?
How much do our circumstances define who we are? Are my feelings determined by who I am or by what goes on around me? Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m aware that some of us are affected by tragedies and real suffering but I am talking about the small stuff here like that it’s raining, that we broke a nail, that we couldn’t go to the cinema or that we can’t afford something we want, etc. Some of us are miserable because of these circumstantial things that in the scheme of things don’t really matter.
I believe that God created us all as unique and amazing individuals but I also believe that many of our lives have been damaged by things that have happened to us. Some of us have lost confidence in ourselves and we are even afraid to be ourselves. The Bible repeatedly says ‘do not be afraid’, so let’s pray to God for the courage to enjoy life. The Bible encourages us that God goes before us and that he is also with us so we do not need to be afraid or discouraged.
Next time it’s raining, go out anyway. Enjoy life. Talk with God and enjoy life with him as he leads you forwards.
Honest about my faith 