We often don’t feel like doing much on rainy days. And it’s nice to occasionally take the day off, read, or watch a few good movies when it’s cloudy and wet outside. But the rain doesn’t wash away our need to work. And many days we simply have to show up and work despite the rain because this is our responsibility. The same is true relationally as well.
On the one hand, there’s no expectation that every day is a cloudless, sunny day. This is not true in nature, or our inner world. And our rainy days internally are not problems to be fixed per se. Some days we’re just kind of blue, and this has its place for feeding and nourishing our souls.
At the same time, our personal cloudy days are never an excuse to neglect our duty of love. Many times we must show up and do what needs to be done regardless of our feelings otherwise.
For instance, we might find ourselves more pensive as we navigate the changing seasons of life, reminisce on our story, contemplate our legacy, or reflect on the heartache and suffering in the world around us. Whatever it looks like, we’re not in a cheerful or jovial mood.
Of course, we should be kind to ourselves in these moments. It serves no one to pretend the sun is shining when it’s actually raining. We can be honest with ourselves, and others, regarding our current mood. All the same, this honesty doesn’t negate our relational obligations. We might still have to go on a date with our wife, play with our kids, or call a friend simply because this is our next task to complete in the work of our relationships. Like working to earn a living, we don’t have the luxury to skip our duty to love just because our feelings might be less than ideal in the moment.
In the end, give yourself grace when emotional rainstorms come your way. But don’t use this as an excuse to neglect your responsibility to love. Sometimes we must simply work in the rain.
