Where’s the Rain, Lord?

Let’s have a quick history lesson about rain and the importance of it during a drought, shall we?

Have you heard of the Dust Bowl? This was a drought that happened during the 1930s in the south-central United States in the aftermath of horrific dust storms. There are several interesting factors in this drought. One being that this drought didn’t last for one or two years. This drought began in 1930 and happened over four distinct times until 1941 (1930–31, 1934, 1936, and 1939–40). Individuals in those regions did not begin to see relief until 1941.

In the article I am referencing, “The Dust Bowl” by the National Drought Mitigation Center“, there are many factors they say contributed to the fact. It came on the heels of the Great Depression, overexpansion, poor land management practices, and the overall extent of the drought. Yet through it all, the people found a way to cope and survive. One statement from the article really stuck out to me.

“As important as these programs may have been, the survival of a majority of the families and enterprises undoubtedly rested solely with their perseverance and integrity. Whether they stayed or moved into the drought regions or migrated to other areas in hopes of a better life, families encountered new hardships and obstacles that would require ingenuity, resilience, and humility.”

National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023.

See, they received help from the government. In fact, this is the same era when the government began giving out federal assistance. However, there was something within them that caused them to keep pushing forward. Sure, there were many who moved on and tried to find work in other areas. They looked for land that wasn’t affected by the drought. But there were those who stayed behind and persevered.

It wasn’t easy to stay. It affected them. It affected every part of them.

“Those who remained in the drought regions were forced to endure severe dust storms and their health effects, diminished incomes, animal infestations, and the physical and emotional stress over their uncertain futures. Humor helped; tales about birds flying backward to keep from getting sand in their eyes, housewives scouring pots and pans by holding them up to keyholes for a sandblasting, and children who had never seen rain were among the favorite stories of Dust Bowl inhabitants. In the end, it was a combination of willpower, stamina, humor, pride, and, above all, optimism that enabled many to survive the Dust Bowl.”

National Drought Mitigation Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023.

In my mind, I can’t help but wonder if there were a few who stepped outside during that time, looked up to the sky, shook their fist to the heavens, and shouted, “Where’s the rain, Lord?”

I don’t know about you, but there are times when I want to do that. Times when it seems the drought in my spirit will never end. It just continues to go on and on. Just as during the time of the Dust Bowl, I will get relief for a little bit, only for the drought to begin again. The small reprieve gave me strength and encouragement to keep going on, but when it begins again, I can’t help but wonder, “Where’s the rain, Lord?”

Sometimes walking this road gets hard. Our shoes wear out, and we begin to feel the rocks beneath our feet. We may even gain a few irritating blisters along the way. Yet something inside of us says, “You’ve got this. Keep moving forward.”

One of my favorite scriptures that I have used here previously is Psalm 42:1.

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (KJV)

The rest of that chapter expresses the sorrow David was feeling. He was feeling the anguish and frustration of the trial he was currently in. There was an inward battle between his flesh and spirit. He desired to be in the presence of the Lord. I get it! Once you enter His presence, you just want to stay there. Yet, when you go through a trial and it seems as if God’s presence is absent, there is a longing and desire to return.

“I will say unto God my rock, why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” Psalm 42:9

But David knew his hope was in the Almighty!

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; For I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God” Psalm 42:11

Even in this drought, I am going to praise Him!

Trust me, there have been a lot of times in my life when I could have made an excuse to walk away. I could have blamed God for the things that were happening to me. I could have easily shaken my fist in the air and then turned my back on God.

One moment being, “Why would you allow me to lose a child?” It would have been easy to blame God and never look back. Yet, the day it happened, I found myself crying on my bed when the song “I Still Trust You” by the McFalls came to mind, and I began singing it to encourage myself. There was a war between my flesh and my spirit. Yet, God gently reminded me that He is faithful even during my time of drought.

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:6-7

No matter how long this drought is, I may still step outside on occasion and scream to the heavens (maybe the neighbors will understand), “Where’s the rain, Lord?” Yet, even in doing so, I know that God is always faithful. Trials and tribulations come to those of us who are good and those of us who are not so good (Matthew 5:45).

However, one last thing I want to leave with you is that our actions sometimes contribute to our sorrow. If you recall from above, there were factors that contributed to the drought. Some of it was brought on by themselves. The same can be said of us during our times of drought. How we handle our lives matters.

I won’t go into a huge spill here, but I have covered it in other blog posts. Rest, setting boundaries, eating habits, hygiene, work, etc. all play a role in how our bodies are affected during times of trial.

I know that there are times when we have done all that we can and life still hits us with disease, sickness, or money issues. You can rest in the fact that you were a good steward, but don’t allow that to cause you to turn your eyes away from your Creator. There are times we just don’t have the answers, nor do we understand the mind of God. Once again, Matthew 5:45.

We have got to have the mindset that no matter what comes our way, no matter how long the drought may last, God is faithful. The end is worth the drought!

“Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations;” Deuteronomy 7:9, KJV

God will quench your thirst even in the drought IF you will let Him.

“and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” Isaiah 58:11, KJV

Keep moving forward. I can guarantee you that no matter how dusty things look right now, the rain is coming!

**A little side note: The Lord woke me with this thought early this past Sunday morning.  I was sitting on the couch typing it out when my husband came in from studying.  I excitedly told him about my thoughts, and he suddenly started laughing.  His message for that day was “Praying for Rain”.  I think the Lord confirmed something between the two of us.  I told him he had better not use any of my notes.  😉 Just kidding!

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