I do not like rain at all. You can’t get anything done, and the feeling of being wet is super uncomfortable.
So many people were on the roof in our first minutes at our new hostile in Sunyani, Ghana, and I just didn’t understand why. It was raining and gross!
At the bottom of the stairs, I thought to myself, “What are you even here for?” My biggest fear in life is saying no to the Holy Spirit because of uncomfortable and new experiences. It was a sweet, sweet moment to stand with my toes over the edge, trust that the Lord is good, and watch the sunset in the pouring rain. It reminded me of Noah in the ark when he kept sending birds to check if the rain had ceased and the waters had gone down. He was so faithful to God in building the ark and staying put until the Lord chose the right time to let them come out, and eventually he got to see the mountaintops. He knew he wouldn’t always be in the ark, and hope encircled his world. I felt that as I was sopping wet watching the pink sky turn dark. This discomfort is going to go away; this anxiety to already be in a new place with new people will fade. Clinging to the hope that is Jesus and that His promises hold true, I know the rains will cease and the sun will come out again.
I think we unconsciously make decisions sometimes because we are so used to being dry, content, and comfortable. That is the opposite of the life that the Lord not only wants for us, but died for us. He did not sacrifice his reputation and body to give us a Holy Spirit of stagnation and stubbornness. He died to get rid of all that and ascended to give us the gift of abundant life. It is part of our conscious decision to die to ourselves and create more space to grow and learn. I like to call it “Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable!”
