“Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Rain is a necessary part of supporting life. Without it, our lands become dry and parched. Plant life dies and turns back into the ground that once sustained it. Clouds dance through the sky like giant cotton balls, becoming dark and threatening. Soon the water rings out of those clouds like the spin cycle of a washing machine. Sucking out the dirtiness of life and refreshing it with new opportunities. If we look at rain as a time of depression, it’s time to get over it. Rain as well as tears are a necessary part of our existence. With both of these elements, there comes renewal, restoration and relief.

My tears come and go, much like the rain. I can’t really predict when they will come. There are signs of course, but sometimes, for no reason at all, tears will escape from my eyes. Even when the reasons are readily apparent, it’s not easy to control them. The lyrics from a familiar song, an old photograph, the sound of someone’s voice, the dreams we dream, the plans we make all can create those wet droplets which seem to pop up at the most inopportune times.

Today is also Monday, which stirs up thoughts of depression. You may have just come off a weekend of fun activities and the reality of everyday living comes at you with the sound of the alarm signaling time to go to work – again. Maybe you’re beyond your working years, but still face each day with new aches and pains which occur in different spots every day. Monday is the day after Sunday, but we often look at it with trepidation and a sense of doom. Coupling that with a rainstorm and heavy skies, is the perfect recipe for anxiety. The fear of death looms in the back of our minds when we grow older.

So how do you overcome rainy days and Mondays? The following scripture verse gives good advice.

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
   and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:17-18

When the rain falls, there is new growth. Our cares and worries will come and go, but God will always remain the same. With HIm, we can endure any storm.