There’s an old tradition among American Indian tribes about how they achieve success in bringing rain through their rain dances. That tradition is they don’t stop dancing until it starts raining.
One could debate whether rain dances truly work to make rain occur, but if you never stop dancing until it starts raining, then you will always have a 100% success rate. It was a spiritual thing with American Indian tribes. I thought for a moment about how their perseverance was an example for my spiritual thinking.
I was raised a Christian and have always been very close to God. I’m certainly not perfect and I make tons of mistakes, but I try to follow God’s path for me as much as I can. I know he is with me in good times, but I can also feel him with me during the bad times, as well. I know that I only need to place my trust in him to allow his will to be done.
I often fall into the trap of praying that things be done the way I perceive they should be done, but those things don’t always follow the path I saw for them. I try to put limits on what God can do based upon the limits my feeble little mind has established, but God has no limits.
I remember 30 years ago when I was first going through testing for Myasthenia Gravis, I prayed they would find a marker for my MG and be able to begin treatment. I was having severe problems with my legs and all I wanted was relief. In my mind, I was asking God to allow them to find a marker, start treatment, and my symptoms and pain would go away. It didn’t go that way.
They didn’t find a marker. In fact, due to my concern about pre-existing conditions affecting my ability to get insurance, I decided to stop any further testing. Over time, my symptoms became less and less severe. That was God working his plan. I’ve since learned my MG had gone into remission; also God’s plan.
Some 30 years later, after having COVID, my symptoms returned. I was able to get in with a great neurologist. Blood tests still couldn’t find a marker, but he was able to determine I had a form of MG for which a marker had not yet been found. He started me on treatment. I’m doing so much better since having started that treatment regimen.
God always hears our prayers, but he doesn’t always respond in the way WE determine. We don’t always have the best plans and sometimes, because of our short-sightedness, we’re unable to see all God has planned for us. God always knows what’s best for us; we just need to trust him. His will be done. We can never go wrong with that.
What I learned from the story of the American Indian rain dancers is when we pray for things, it doesn’t always immediately happen, but if we persevere, it will happen, or at least the better plan God has for us. The dancers prayed and danced for as long as it took their spirit to bring rain. They trusted what their spirit would do for them and showed perseverance until it happened.
We must learn to put our trust in God knowing that he will always do what’s best for us at the time that is meant for us. By continuing to pray and dance, we’re showing God that we haven’t lost faith, that we haven’t given up on him.
Ahhh, but you say, eventually it always rains, so those American Indian rain dancers were just biding their time until the inevitable happened. Were they? Or did their faith bring the blessings of the spirit because of their perseverance? We may never know. What I do know, however, is my God is always with me and never gives up on me. He just wants me to stay with him.
Think about that for a moment. There may be times in our lives when we are tempted to abandon God, but he never abandons us. Even in our darkest times, he’s with us. Those are the times we need him the most. Those are the times that, instead of crawling into a hole, we need to dance.
What about the argument that if God truly loves us, why did he allow us to get Myasthenia Gravis in the first place? God has a plan; whatever that plan entails. For me, perhaps he felt I needed to find myself and that doing so would allow me to reach out and help others. Perhaps it was because he knew I could handle it and that going through such an experience would bring me closer to him.
We may never know the reasons why a lot of things happen. What we need to remember is that whatever happens, God already knows about it and knew it was going to happen. If you’re experiencing drought in your life, start dancing and praying. Don’t give up until God brings rain into your life. He will. It’s not just a coincidence. When it comes to our lives, there’s no guarantee that rain will eventually happen. The only guarantee we have is that if we remain faithful, God will be there for us.
God has rained on my life more times than I ever deserved. I know he will continue to bring me rain. I choose to continue dancing and praying, even if it’s already raining.
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