Our troubles are like rain.  No matter if you like rain more than sunshine or sunshine more than rain, it is coming.  It is going to rain.  You can hide in the house from rain.  Now you are secluded and going no where, and it is still raining.  You can prepare for rain by buying an umbrella. However, what if you forget it or lose it?  Your preparation was wasted.

Some people carry their umbrellas and do not put them up because they think they don't need it.  It's only drizzling. It's not raining that hard.  In the meantime, you are still getting wet, but not that much.  Sometimes it is raining hard so you put up your umbrella.  Your feet and legs are still going to get wet.  With the umbrella, you are still able to stand the rain and go where you need to go. 

Now if you wear a rain hat, a rain coat, rain boots and carry an umbrella, you are totally protected.  You will not get wet whether it is raining hard or drizzling.  You are going where you need to go. 

What if you do not use umbrellas or rain gear? There are several reasons why.

• "I can tough it out.  I don't need one."
• "I keep forgetting it."
• "I always lose it."
• "I let someone borrow it or give it away and never got it back."
• "It costs too much."
• "Rain gear is too restraining. I need to be free!"

Whatever the reason, you choose to always get wet when it rains.  You don't mind because you are getting where you need to go without worrying about getting an umbrella or wearing rain gear.

Really, you are quite happy without it.  Until your hair and clothes are soaking wet or you catch a cold.  Now you are miserable.  So what do you do? ♫♪ Blame it on the rain! Yeah Yeah! ♫♪  Then do it all over again.

Troubles are going to come whether you like it or not.  You can hide from it.  You can cover it up and pretend it is not there.  It does not make it go away.  You can go to church every Sunday. You can get saved.  You can even get baptized. Troubles are still coming to you.  You can tell everyone, " I am a Bishop", "I am the Pastor", "I am Deacon or Deaconess So and So", "I am a Nun", "I am a Monk", "I am a Cardinal", "I am a faithful worker in my church for twenty years."  Even BIGGER troubles are coming your way! 

So what is the solution?  How do I stop troubles from happening to me?

The answer is, you can not.  Just like the rain, it is going to come.  Put on your rain gear, the whole armor of God, and you will get through it.  Read Eph. 6:11-17.