“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
As I think about today’s Ponderings and type these words, a gentle rain is falling. I checked the forecast, and it seems this may be an all-day event. This led me to Longfellow’s “profound” quote. For me, a rain like this, especially on a day when it won’t interfere with other plans, brings a calm rhythm that helps quiet the mind.
Rain is often equated with new beginnings, growth, and renewal, but for some reason this morning, it just seems peaceful. And, of course, the only choice we have is to let it rain.
Perhaps there’s something to be learned in that.
We waste a great deal of time trying to control the weather, literally and figuratively. We make plans and organize our days, trying to change things that we aren’t willing to admit are beyond our control. Rain only scratches the surface.
I’m not saying that planning and organizing are bad. But sometimes our best, healthiest response isn’t to fix anything, figure everything out, or look for deeper meaning.
Sometimes, we simply need to let it rain.
The psalmist writes, “I have calmed and quieted my soul … I am content.” (Psalm 131:2)
Maybe that’s what this rain is offering today. Not an inconvenience or a metaphor for something else, but simply an invitation to slow down and be content with this moment.
The rain is falling. I don’t need to understand why it’s raining or make it stop. I’m sure there’s a scientific reason I don’t need to know. And, as we all know, I can’t do anything about it.
So, let it rain. And let me be thankful.
God, thank you for this time to calm and quiet my soul and be content. Thank you for moments to slow down and breathe. Thank you for the reminder that I’m not responsible for controlling everything. And while the rain falls, thank you that your grace is falling, too—quietly, steadily, and faithfully. Amen.
