Step In to the Shower

I love a nice, hot shower; to linger and savor the steaming water as I wake up for the day. But if I’m sweaty from playing tennis and weeding in the sun, like yesterday, a cool shower is the ultimate luxury. Nothing beats streams of water—cleansing, reviving, energizing.
 

We’ve had a lot of rain showers around here lately. I’d rather have sunshine, but it’s the alternating showers with the warm spring sun that makes the grass green and the flowers come to life. Today in our yard the lilacs, strawberry plants, phlox, hebe, mock orange, calla lilies, lithodora, and bleeding heart are bursting into bloom. Other plants are sending out tendrils, and forming leaves and buds for more flowers and fruit. I love this season! 

Have you ever noticed whenever someone mentions a shower it’s usually a positive thing? Besides cleansing showers, there are showers of praise, rain showers, wedding and baby showers, and showers of blessing. In order to benefit from them, however, you have to step in to the stream of water, gifts, words, or spiritual flow. In other words, showers won’t do you any good unless you give yourself to whatever stream is bursting forth.

The old hymn written by Daniel Whittle in 1883 begins: 

There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Savior above.

Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need:

Mercy-drops round us are falling,

But for the showers we plead.

We yearn for God’s blessings: reviving, abundant, refreshing. Then the last two verses reveal the key to stepping in to these showers of wondrous blessings—confession, trust, obedience; letting God have His way in us. We must choose to exit our dry self-sufficiency, and let God pour himself over us.

I’ve recently felt dry in my spirit. I kept reading my Bible every day, but still felt no comfort or inspiration from words that usually fill me to overflowing. “What’s wrong, Lord?” I asked. “Where are your showers of blessing?”

He showed me I needed a change of heart. I was clinging to worry and discouragement, looking at the problems around me instead of the bigness of my God. I needed to thank Him for the blessings He’s providing every day and trust His plan. Once I stepped in with faith, I felt the sprinkle of His showers once again. The cares of life remain, but now I am singing with a grateful heart.

Are you in a time of drought? Ask God if there’s doubt or an attitude holding you back from His fullness. These scriptures tell us the many kinds of showers God has for us! I’ve summarized most, but I challenge you to read each one in your Bible or a good Internet site (https://www.biblegateway.com/ is my favorite).

Welcome His teaching like a tender plant loves showers of rain: Deuteronomy 32:1-4

Rain softens the ground, brings abundance, growth, and refreshes the weary: Psalm 65:8-13; Psalm 68:7-10

This is a beautiful prayer for the king or ruler to reign in righteousness. When he does he rains blessings on his people: Psalm 72:1-7

God reveals His identity to mankind by blessing us all; He rains down righteousness and says, “Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish.” Isaiah 45:5-8

God Shepherds and Provides for His sheep. The time will come will He will care for them and no one can ever again make them afraid: Ezekiel 34:20-31

God will restore what has been lost and refresh His people with abundance: Joel 2: 19-27

If we seek Him and get ready to hear God, He will shower down unfailing love and righteousness: Hosea 10:12

Ask God to supply for your thirst; He’s the only One who can meet your need: Zechariah 10:1

I pray God’s rain will fall on you in showers of blessing, hope, abundance, and abiding trust—refreshing your spirit and filling you to overflowing.

#showersofblessing #spirituallydry #healingrain #whenindrought