Flooding seems to be all over the news right now, no matter what side of the world you are on. From the catastrophic flooding in Texas to the hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes due to monsoon rains throughout southeast Asia, not to mention the over 70 lakh people affected in my current state alone. I received a plethora of email updates and WhatsApp messages from my national friends, sending pictures and videos of the destruction. Friends in my city will tell me stories of water invading their homes and the homes of their neighbors, and I witness and experience the effects of monsoon on the city and my daily life, as the rains will shut down any activity or any plans of venturing out for hours at a time.
A common phrase among my team members to describe a significantly difficult situation is “deep waters.” For example, “We are working through some tough things in our marriage right now and wading through some deep waters.” The phrase is metaphorical in nature, often referring to deeply emotional or spiritual difficulties, but the phrase can also be applied quite literally in our city; for example, “I walked through some deep, knee-high waters today to get to the corner store.” The phrase could even be used in both manners in the same sentence to describe a situation with one of my national friends; for example, “She walked through deep monsoon waters to reach my flat and then told me of the deep waters her family is wading through as an older brother is causing discord in their family.”
Fortunately, the Lord speaks of deep waters, both metaphorical and literal, through His Word. In Isaiah 43:2, He promises, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” I cling to His words when I am walking through the deep waters, both literally and figuratively.
Just the other morning, as the rain began to pour, I opened my balcony door to watch the rainfall, and my mind jumped to all of the ways this rain could negatively affect my day if it continued for several hours. As I looked to my left, I caught sight of the most pure, innocent, and beautiful scene I’ve ever witnessed: on the rooftop nearby, a young girl was spinning and dancing in the rain with wild abandon – truly dancing as if no one was watching. I watched her for several minutes, unable to stop smiling and filled with the compulsion to join her, yet unable to express myself with even a portion of the self-abandonment she possessed. Ever since, my mind has returned several times to the image of that young girl dancing in the pouring rain. Do I remember to stop and dance in the rain? Even when the waters are rising and life is difficult, do I pause and remember the incredible blessings of the Lord and the goodness that He rains down upon me? Do I dance with wild abandon before for the Lord, for no other reason but to rejoice in the sweet, warm waters of His love and mercy?
I pray that despite all of the deep-water struggles of life, we can all learn to dance for the Lord, as if no one is watching, because of His constant, overwhelming goodness.