January 15

I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. — Gen 9:13 BSB

There can be no rainbow unless there is rain. Likewise, we cannot see the full glory of God’s grace without passing through trials. We can only truly understand the preciousness of His promises in the moments of need for which they were given.

A young friend once told me that she had seen richer revelations of Christ’s love during weeks of illness than in all her previous years of health. Words of Scripture, familiar since childhood, suddenly shone with new and deeper meaning. In the brightness of her earlier life, she had never noticed the rainbow hues of God’s promises.

This is true of all divine comforts. We can’t fully grasp their meaning until we experience the sorrows for which they were meant. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” We cannot receive the comfort until we have known the mourning. Every Christian who has walked through sorrow understands this. In the darkest times, the promises of God shine brightest, revealing their deepest blessings.