By, Susanne Scheppmann
“When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains!” Psalm 84:6 (NLT)
I gaped at the water pouring down through the vents in the ceiling. A surreal feeling overtook me. I momentarily couldn’t move. However, after a moment, I began to wade through the icy water, crying out in dismay, “Oh, no! Oh, no!”
Apparently, a pipe had frozen and split during a recent cold snap. Then, when the warm weather brought a springtime thaw, I received April-like showers inside my home. As I walked upstairs in a panic to call a restoration service, I spotted my plaque that reads, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” I took it as a challenge. Would I choose to “dance” in my “rain”?
Many of my friends would trade my “rains” for their Valley of Weeping. Their lives hold divorce, illness, death---myriads of places of sorrows. God doesn’t promise us a trouble- free life, but He does say that Valleys of Weeping will eventually become pools of blessing. We choose our attitudes. We can decide to trust Him during the difficult seasons or we can bury ourselves in bitter self-pity.
Although the pain of life may linger, the Lord will lead us out of the Valley of Weeping. Let’s take to heart Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (NIV).
I recall the lines from a childhood poem, “April showers bring May flowers.” Hopefully, after everything in my basement is cleaned up and restored, I won’t discover any flowers growing in the carpet. But, I will look for those pools of blessing that the Lord will provide through this mishap.
Dear Lord, life is hard sometimes. Walk me through the Valley of Weeping. Keep my heart focused on You and the blessings You provide. Open my eyes to the pools of blessing that You supply. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Jesus?
P31 Woman magazine
Visit Susanne Schepmann’s blog
Perplexing Proverbs for Women Bible study by Susanne Scheppman
Application Steps:
Read Psalm 84. Journal your thoughts on each verse and how it applies to your life. Memorize Psalm 84:12, “O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.” (NIV)
Reflections:
Do I dance with God through the storms of life?
How can I encourage someone who is going through a Valley of Weeping?
What “pools of blessing” have I discovered after going through a difficult time?
Power Verses:
Psalm 135:7, “He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.” (NIV)
Isaiah 55:12, “You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!” (NLT)
Matthew 5:45b, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (NIV)
“When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains!” Psalm 84:6 (NLT)
I gaped at the water pouring down through the vents in the ceiling. A surreal feeling overtook me. I momentarily couldn’t move. However, after a moment, I began to wade through the icy water, crying out in dismay, “Oh, no! Oh, no!”
Apparently, a pipe had frozen and split during a recent cold snap. Then, when the warm weather brought a springtime thaw, I received April-like showers inside my home. As I walked upstairs in a panic to call a restoration service, I spotted my plaque that reads, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” I took it as a challenge. Would I choose to “dance” in my “rain”?
Many of my friends would trade my “rains” for their Valley of Weeping. Their lives hold divorce, illness, death---myriads of places of sorrows. God doesn’t promise us a trouble- free life, but He does say that Valleys of Weeping will eventually become pools of blessing. We choose our attitudes. We can decide to trust Him during the difficult seasons or we can bury ourselves in bitter self-pity.
Although the pain of life may linger, the Lord will lead us out of the Valley of Weeping. Let’s take to heart Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (NIV).
I recall the lines from a childhood poem, “April showers bring May flowers.” Hopefully, after everything in my basement is cleaned up and restored, I won’t discover any flowers growing in the carpet. But, I will look for those pools of blessing that the Lord will provide through this mishap.
Dear Lord, life is hard sometimes. Walk me through the Valley of Weeping. Keep my heart focused on You and the blessings You provide. Open my eyes to the pools of blessing that You supply. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Jesus?
P31 Woman magazine
Visit Susanne Schepmann’s blog
Perplexing Proverbs for Women Bible study by Susanne Scheppman
Application Steps:
Read Psalm 84. Journal your thoughts on each verse and how it applies to your life. Memorize Psalm 84:12, “O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.” (NIV)
Reflections:
Do I dance with God through the storms of life?
How can I encourage someone who is going through a Valley of Weeping?
What “pools of blessing” have I discovered after going through a difficult time?
Power Verses:
Psalm 135:7, “He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.” (NIV)
Isaiah 55:12, “You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!” (NLT)
Matthew 5:45b, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (NIV)
8 Comments:
Thank you for the verses. I really need them now.
I normally am the one dancing in the rain. I have been told by people that I thought had difficult life that compared to mine life (problems), their life is a dream. I never noticed it was "that bad" since I would laugh, dance and joke through the massive storms of my life.
Right now, I am going through a rough patch. But then as they say, just when you thought it couldn't get worse... something else hits.
While I know God is moving me to something else he wants me to do, I just don't know what, when or where. I keep asking him for directions, but I hear nothing. I have prayed, cried, tried not to cry since fear is not from God and I am tired.
These verses will give me something to focus on. Thank you
So very true! I have a friend who is in a time of weeping. I am meeting with her tonight. Her husband has left and she is just coming back to the Lord herself.
Thank you for this. What timing that I came by today of all days.
I'm learning to dance in my "rainy" seasons. It's not an easy embrace for me, but one I am willing to practice to lead me further in my journey of faith.
Thank you for sharing, and I sure hope the pipes have stopped their dripping!
peace~elaine
Thank you for this very timely devotion! I am a 41 yr old divorced mom of a beautiful 14 year old daughter -- I have breast cancer and my surgery is scheduled next Wednesday for a double mastectomy. My doctor said to me last week -- "Your attitude is amazing even with the diagnosis you've been given." It was a wonderful opportunity to tell him that God DOES give us a peace that surpasses all understanding. I cannot imagine trying to get thru "April Showers" without my Savior. I just hope to have more opportunities to spread His love.
i too am learning to dance in the rain. it is not easy but with God all things are possible. i just hope i can be an encourage to other when they dance in the rain.
God did send the rain, but he also sent the rainbows! He also said he would never flood the earth again. So we know by that promise he would never give us anything we couldn't handle together.
Thanks for all the great daily devotions. They bring me sonshine everyday.
grace
Thank God for "April Showers"
Thank you all for sharing the refreshing springs in your life.
Thank you so much! I opened this today instead of yesterday and it was just what I needed to hear from God.
However, I am so sorry for the terrible circumstances that brought you to this! I hope your "flood" is resolved!
I try not to read the comments first because I forget what I wanted to say! I love what your plaque reads...may I use it?
Praise God that you rse to the challenge and danced in the rain!!!
I guess my life would be similar to that of your friends but not anymore because I choose to "dance"
(maybe not in the rain...yet?) He has changed my "mourning" and all my weeping, into dancing.
Your postive attitude and wisdom to trust Him in all our difficult "seasons" and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and not horrible situations, circumstances,
and in those"valleys" blesses and encourages me. I will look for blessings! This was perfect timing, though a day late for my viewing it, God has His perfect timing! My weeping (this time)was
not for me, but a young Mexican woman, trusting the Lord to provide for her going on a mission trip to Indonesia with YWAM! Only 2weeks left to raise her support! But she just revealed on Mon.,her
testimony of abuse and her life, and God broke me, right there. I had been interceding and pressing in for her miracle before but now I was weeping for how God will bring His glory from her life, heal her many scars and set her free from undeserved shame and humiliation. I have a burden now for her but God will bring forth that refreshing spring and pools of blessing for her, His child,and she will be victorious and bring glory to HIM!
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