When It Rains, It Pours

We have various ways of expressing the same basic idea. “When it rains, it pours.” “Trouble comes in sets of three.” “One step forward and two steps back.” “Kick me while I’m down.” Whichever phrase we use (and I’m sure there are more), we are expressing the idea that troubles sometimes seem to pile on top of each other or bunch up in greater than normal quantities.

Sometimes we see these mounting or multiplied troubles because we are looking for them. If two bad things happen, and we expect a third, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to find something to meet our expectation. If we get into a negative rut, it becomes very easy to see the world through mud-spattered glasses. Not always, however, are these collections of trials in our imaginations. There are times in our lives when an assortment of troubles do intersect. That’s the bad news.

What’s the good news? The good news is that God is keenly aware of every combination of troubles. Not one challenge slips past His watchful gaze. God knows that each added attack causes increased pressure. Meeting five such situations at once is harder than meeting just one. God knows the solution to multiplied trials. We need God’s grace to face the assaults, and God knows that. He freely and generously gives His grace in times of trouble. He also gives His grace in measure to the situation. That is, when troubles increase, God also increases His bestowment of grace.

We may sometimes think, “If one more thing happens, I won’t be able to handle it.” Correct. Certainly we can’t handle it in our own strength, but neither can we handle it with the amount of grace we currently have. So when the new thing happens, God gives more grace to meet the additional needs. He will not leave us lacking.

“When it rains, it pours.” Our primary interpretation of that saying is that when bad things happen, look out, because more bad things are on the way. As Christians, we can have a different, and much happier, interpretation. When the trials of life come down like rain, God pours out His grace upon us in abundant amounts. We don’t need to dread the rain when God so bountifully supplies us with the grace we need.

“For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” II Corinthians 1:5 (NASB)