Picture the scene: rain falling. Over the course of several hours, a couple of inches of rain come down. The ground gets wet, maybe even soaked. It’s a scene that you and I have experienced countless times.
But consider how that experience might feel to different people. A gardener who has been working hard to keep plants alive during a dry spell would welcome that rain and recognize its life-giving power. But a couple who had an outdoor wedding planned for that day would likely throw up their hands in frustration and curse their luck. In the one case, rain is exactly what is wanted and needed. In the other case, rain forces a change in plans.
I think that image of rain might help us to understand our spiritual lives a little better. Consider, for example, how the presence of the divine/the higher power/God impacts our lives. There are moments when we experience a great power that goes far beyond us, a power that changes people’s lives in significant ways. But that great presence may feel different to people in different circumstances. Some people may have been looking to connect with the divine. They may have been searching and waiting, living through times that are spiritually very dry, and they have longed for refreshment. To them, an encounter with the divine would be life-giving and enriching and sustaining. By contrast, other people might not be looking at all for the presence of the divine. In fact, they may have made all kinds of other plans for their life. To them, a close encounter with the divine might come across as a shocking interruption that forces them to step back from the life they thought they knew and re-assess everything.
But either way, the effect is to make growth and new life possible. Rain helps plants to grow, even as it challenges wedding couples to deal with temporary inconvenience. In the same way, the presence of the divine encourages those who are looking for it, even as it calls other people to stop and recognize the possibility of a deeper dimension to their world.
That helps me to think about the spiritual practices that many of us engage in. Those habits and disciplines don’t “make it rain;” that is, they don’t compel the divine presence to speak to us or to meet us. But those practices do point us toward the promise of an encounter. They help us to tune in, to be ready, if and when the divine makes an appearance in our life. It still may come as a surprise, just like rain that pops up out of a seemingly clear sky. But even so, that encounter can lead us to appreciate life more fully and live it more intentionally.
I hope that gives you some food for spiritual thought.
Larry Lindstrom
Multifaith Campus Chaplain