I love that catchy Travis song, ‘Why Does it Always Rain on Me?’ Perhaps you know the lines, ‘Why does it always rain on me? Is it because I lied when I was 17? Why does it always rain on me? Even when the sun is shining, I can’t avoid the lightning.’
All of us have times when it seems no matter what we do, bad stuff keeps happening. And the more that happens, the more we can feel worn down. Hopefully, some of the articles in this edition will point you in the right direction to strengthen your resilience, so that when you hit challenges in your personal or work life, you can bounce back—or even bounce forward.
Of course, the temptation, as the song says, is to worry that bad things happen to us because of something we’ve done wrong. Is it because I lied when I was 17? Well, it’s true that sometimes bad things do happen as the natural consequences of our actions. If I continually snap at my kids, they’re going to become uncooperative and annoying. If I snack on lots of chocolate and fatty foods day after day, poor health will follow. As the Bible says (in Galatians 6:7), we reap what we sow. And since that’s the case, it’s a good idea to sow wisely, so that we see good growing from our lives, not bad.
But I suppose the implied question in that song is this: ‘Is someone (the universe or God) punishing me? Is God making this bad stuff happen to me?’ Jesus refutes this. In Matthew chapter five, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and even pray for those who mistreat us. By doing this, he says, we’ll be like God, ‘who sends the rain on those who do right and those who do wrong’.
Don’t worry, Jesus doesn’t mean God is sitting in Heaven waiting to rain on our parade! Jesus means that God doesn’t show partiality. He’s not unfair in his treatment of us. All of us experience good and bad in life—although not equally, some people do face more and harder challenges than others. Which is why it’s so important to keep an eye out for those who are finding life hard and look for ways to lighten their load.
Most importantly, God’s love isn’t only for those who are doing right. Which is great news, because all of us stuff up sometimes.
Christina Tyson
Editor
Isaiah 41:13 Contemporary English Version
‘Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.’
Ihaia 41:13
‘No te mea ko ahau, ko Ihowa, ko tou Atua, kei te pupuri i tou matau, kei te mea ki a koe, Kaua e wehi; ko ahau hei whakauru mou.’