Speaking for myself, I tend to be the kind of morning person whose mood for the day is partly determined based upon what I see outside when I pull back the blinds. On days when the sky is blue and the sun is shining, my disposition is cheerier than when the sky is cloudy and rain is falling. Don’t get me wrong, because I highly value the rain when it’s in short supply, especially where I live. In fact, right now, as I sip my morning coffee, the sky is overcast with rain. Thank-you Lord.

I would venture to guess that we all suffer to some extent from mood swings based on the weather, and having said that, I cannot help but draw a comparison to my own spiritual well-being—that on dreary, burdensome days, my faith seems less robust than on days when sunshine warms my face and things are going well. If you feel inclined to pray for me, I’d appreciate that.

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I sense the devil hunts for any excuse to thwart God’s plan. Even as I write these words, a pair of Northern Flickers, a type of woodpecker, have decided to perch on the top of my chimney. They apparently believe that the chimney flue is a tree of some sort because they are rapping their beaks against it, and the sound, not at all unlike a sub-machine gun, reverberates throughout my entire home and half of the neighborhood. Needless to say, the noisy distraction makes it difficult to focus on God and on this devotional.

My point is this: Life is full of interruptions and things that hinder our faith. Satan will use any ploy to redirect us away from Jesus, even noisy birds on my chimney and humdrum weather to dampen my spirits. It’s not always easy to glorify God when life’s circumstances cause us pain and suffering. And yet, this is exactly what we should do.

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16, 17 NLT)

John 16:33 says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. (And distractions, I’d personally like to add.) But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (NLT)

To be perfectly honest with you. There are days when I struggle with my faith. There are times when I don’t want to pray or read my Bible. But through it all, I will always keep at it. I will always get down on my knees and come back to Jesus. The Lord promises to never leave me nor forsake me, and that, dear friend, is a truth that you and I can hold onto, even when it’s hard to find joy on rainy days.

Now if I could only find my earplugs for the birds.

Paul Smyth