There are some days when my meditative thoughts are all over the place, and it’s hard to put something coherent in writing. To borrow a few colorful phrases from my grandmother: My mind is like a fart in a skillet. My brain is like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. My thoughts are like static on the radio. My wheel is turning, but the hamsters are dead.
I think the problem is I have “rain brain.” I know April showers bring May flowers, but enough already!
So, naturally, I thought of Singin’ in the Rain. There’s a famous scene where Gene Kelly is absolutely drenched—his umbrella is flipping water everywhere—and yet he’s smiling, dancing, splashing like the storm is the best thing that’s happened all day.
It’s charming. It’s joyful. It’s also… not how I feel this morning.
I don’t feel like singing in the rain. I feel like complaining in the rain. Or at least sighing dramatically while looking at the rain.
David understood that instinct when he sighs and asks, “How long, O Lord?” How long before you’re going to do something? Change things. Fix what’s wrong. His words wouldn’t exactly inspire a show tune.
Psalm 13 doesn’t start with joy. It starts with frustration, confusion, and even a sense of being forgotten. David doesn’t pretend to feel better than he does.
And yet—by the end of the psalm, something shifts. “I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me.”
His circumstances haven’t changed. The rain is still falling. But David makes a decision—not to deny reality, but to anchor himself in something deeper.
The beauty of God’s grace is that it’s not dependent on our mood. It meets us where we are, even in the rain. And then, it reminds us of God’s love and draws us toward trust—that leads from a whisper to a song.
So today, if you can’t quite bring yourself to burst into song or joyful dancing in the middle of your real or metaphorical rainstorm, maybe it’s just about choosing not to close your heart. Maybe it’s about humming…quietly. But be careful, because suddenly you might find yourself singing in the rain.
Prayer: Lord, I don’t always feel like singing. Far too often, I find myself complaining. But meet me in this place anyway. Remind me of your love and care for me. Take my honest emotions and gently lead me toward trust in you. Amen.
