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“May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth!”
Psalm 72:6 (ESV)

Raindrops pelted the roof of the tiny church. “Plip, plop.”

Perfect weather for what I’m feeling, I thought. It had been three years since losing Tom, and still, the pain felt fresh.

The pastor’s stories of life-long joy and suffering spilled over with God’s love and purpose.

But I wasn’t feeling God’s love and purpose. Instead, I complained. My Tom should have grown old like that–old enough to share beautiful stories like this pastor’s.

Then as if to answer my thoughts, the pastor paused. He ran his fingers through his scraggly beard and pointed at a window. “You can’t humanly imagine the depth of God’s love. I explain it using raindrops.”

I glanced at raindrops pounding so hard you couldn’t see houses across the street.

“If you took God’s love and packed an ounce of it into each raindrop, you’d fill all the raindrops coming down right now and still have more love spilling all over the place.”

My mind fought the analogy along with tears edging behind my eyes. What about Tom’s love! His love was physically right beside me. Am I suppose to just imagine being loved by God?

The pastor continued, “God’s love for each of us goes way beyond a cloudburst of infinite raindrops filled with God’s love. Don’t think for a moment He’s not actively involved in every step of your life, loving you completely.”

The idea of God’s love like rain echos David’s words in Psalm 72:6 (ESV): “May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!”

I shut my eyes to accept His love again as that day when I was reborn. Suddenly, the pelts on the roof of the church got louder–a pounding so loud it drowned out the pastor’s voice. My tears stopped waiting for my permission, and I surrendered. And as I did, I felt the truth of God’s love… everywhere, like raindrops that can’t be stopped.

Do you feel it, sisters? In this season do you really, in your heart, believe God loves you specifically? Not you as part of the human race, but you, by name!

If you aren’t sure, reflect on His love. For some of us, it’s that missing piece of understanding God’s love which keeps us from moving to a more peaceful, purposeful place in our journeys.

God showed His love for us in the most sacrificial way. How that changed me! Before understanding what Christ did on the cross, I fumbled my way through successes and failures—searching for the secret to getting things right.

But God knows things aren’t right with this world. It’s been that way since the enemy came in and messed with His creation.

God placed Truth in each of our hearts that all wrongs in the end must be righted and paid for. Someone must pay, and He doesn’t want it to be you. And so He hung on a cross made by the very humans He created. He hung there to pay a price for your soul.

That’s how much He loves you. So much that He died for you. So much so that He loved you before you first loved Him. (Romans 5:8). So much that He still watches over every breath you take.

Breathe that in. Let His love rain over you and wash away your pain and sorrow.

Dear Lord,

Have mercy on us who miss our physical husband so much that we, at times, forget how infinite Your love is for us. Give each widow those moments as You gave me in that church, when we feel your presence and can acknowledge that You have risen indeed. Amen.