When was the last time you stopped to fully dry off from the rain—every drop?

Have you ever sat in your car, soaking wet from the rain, and actually waited until you were dry before moving on?

Walked inside your house and didn’t reach for your phone… didn’t start a new conversation… didn’t continue the old one—because you were still wet?

When has being wet from the rain truly hindered your daily routine?

Sure, it’s inconvenient at times. But let’s be honest—it’s just water. It sits on our jackets, our heads, our hands. We usually shake it off and keep going.

Most of us would admit: we rarely stop to dry off before moving forward.

Well, In Florida, it’s almost impossible.

🌧️ The Rain of Life Is Coming

There are moments coming in this life—this blessed life—that will bring discomfort. Setbacks. Delays. Pain.

Life throws unexpected storms through the people we meet: those we love, those we struggle with, those we don’t understand.

We encounter co-workers, bosses, strangers, friends, family, the broken and the healed. And sometimes, that rain isn’t from them—it’s from within us.

We carry home-life tension. Mental burdens. Insecurity. Doubt. Sin.

We face people with trust issues. We trust others, and they break it. We open our hearts to those who can’t even protect their own.

We battle the unawareness of others—and ourselves.

Sometimes, it’s not them we’re struggling with. It’s us.

We’re fighting to be hopeful. To live purely. To cling to the goodness of God. And it can feel like we’re soaked in the weight of our own hearts.

Really battling the wickedness of our own hearts and desires that we feel soaked with the weight.

There are a lot of different types of people and self-battles we encounter day in and day out.

 The Rain = Pain

Some moments that bring unexpected “rain” into our so-called normal day.

The rain I speak of in this are the struggles, pain, hurt, and sin we all combat in our daily lives.

Let’s talk about it.

The rain is the pain.

The pain of struggle. The pain of sin. The pain of disappointment. The pain of yesterday.

The pain of regret, the pain that has been dealt to us by others.
In general, the pain and the rain of yesterday.

I want to focus on one kind specifically: the pain of the past.

Acknowledge the Pain

Yup. First things first: Pain is real.

• Yes, it hurt when they left.
• Yes, you didn’t get what you wanted.
• Yes, past relationship wounds have followed you into this one.
• Yes, words have power—they can wound or lift.
• Yes, choices brought consequences that no one else can erase.
• Yes, FOMO has paralyzed you.
• Yes, big decisions are scary.
• Yes, misplaced anger can turn justice into hate.
• Yes, sin can distort, numb, and confuse.

BUT—God is still bigger. Still better.

Pain has the power to keep you bound or bring you to freedom.

🚶 Don’t Let the Rain Stop You

(Yesterday’s rain isn’t today’s pain.)

Rain will come. Pain will happen.

Joey, why don’t you stop being negative.

Nope. I’m being honest.

Jesus went through storms, too. And I want to prepare you for the reality of walking through life with Him.

Don’t let the weight of yesterday’s rain rob you of the hope for tomorrow.

Don’t let it paralyze you. Don’t get stuck in the sorrow of what happened or what was done to you.

You’re not stuck. You’re covered.

☂️ God Is Your Covering

If Jesus is your Savior, then God is your covering—your umbrella.

It doesn’t mean your shirt or your shoes won’t get wet sometimes.

(Wait—are you saying God can’t fully protect me?)

Not at all.

I’m saying this: Sometimes He allows storms to grow us. To teach us to cling to Him. To prepare us to help others through their rain.

So you can say:

“I’ve been in a storm like that too.” “Honestly, I’m still in it—but without my covering, I’d be soaked in despair.”

I am saying Jesus talked about it multiple times in scripture. (Matthew 7:24-27)

💡 Yesterday’s Rain Can’t Be Today’s Identity

We’ve fallen. We’ve failed. We’ve been hurt—and we’ve hurt others.

But we can’t keep stopping in the rain the world throws at us.

We need to hold tightly to our covering—Jesus.

We need to let Truth and Grace dry us off.

I’m tired of seeing children of God sit in the rain for years.

He didn’t send His only Son to die so you could wallow in pain and regret.

He died to bring you life. Real life.

A life that reflects His goodness. A life that draws others to Him.

Don’t Let Rain Hinder You

He paid too high a price for you.

He wants to cover you. Dry you. Heal you.

But ask yourself this:

Is God your covering—or a mere book you look at or just a name you cry out to when it rains?

Brush the rain off your shoulders. Off your shoes.

Hold tightly to your covering—He’s got you.

Through Him,
iii

📖 Scriptures for Reflection:

• Matthew 7:24-27 – “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. **25 **And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.**26 **And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.**27 **And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
• Psalm 91:4 – “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you shall take refuge.”
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
• Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous… He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
• Psalm 34:19 – “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”
• Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
• Psalm 23:1–6 – “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me…”

💬 Reflective Question:

What pain from your past are you still sitting in—when Jesus has already offered to carry it?