Our families may be fractured by political or religious differences.
We may be parents, wondering if our children are listening to us or learning from us.
We may be teachers, seeing the children we teach only on Zoom, or in person for only a few hours a day or week.
We may help people medically, or as priests, social workers, or counselors, for only a few hours in people's lives.
We may do clerical work or office work, and rarely see the people whose lives we are affecting, and we are just hoping to do reliable work.
We may be retired, and our main spiritual work is prayer.
We may speak or write words of comfort, encouragement, or challenge to family or strangers, and we wonder how our few sentences could possibly make a difference.
Yet, God tells us not to get discouraged. God tells us that every one of us counts in building up God's Kingdom. God says, in Isaiah 55:11:
"For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.12You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.…"
Jesus is the Supreme Word of God. But, we who are Jesus' disciples, are also little words of God, sent forth from God's mouth to accomplish just what God desires us to accomplish - and God promises us that we will prosper as God's messengers wherever God sends us!
How can we, little as we are, accomplish much of anything for God? The answer comes when we humbly remember just how little we are. God says "Just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth."
Just for a minute, let's think of people's hearts as being earth in need of water. Everyone's heart is different, just as there are varieties of earth on this planet.
Some people's hearts are simply in need of a little Heavenly water before they bud and sprout because they are faithful people of God.
Some other peoples' hearts are very hard, hard and rigid as stone, totally devoid of life. Their hearts have endured a great drought, either because they have avoided Heavenly rain and snow, or because they have never been exposed to God's abundant grace. In Ezekiel 36:24 - 28, God says,
"I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts."
Now, think of any great rainfall or snowfall you have seen or experienced. How many drops of rain or snow were there? Could you even begin to count them? Of course not. It takes every drop of rain, every flake of snow, to accomplish what God hopes to accomplish through that rainfall or snowfall. Even if that snow produces huge drifts of snow, in the Spring when it all melts, the ground is prepared for sowing, for growth.
Spiritually speaking, each one of us is a little drop of rain, a little flake of snow. We need all those other drops of rain to produce a rainfall, all those other flakes of snow to produce a snowfall. Together we become instruments of those ongoing torrents of grace that God showers upon the earth of every heart. But all those drops of rain and flake of snow also need us. Together, we accomplish whatever God desires us to accomplish in every heart whom we enter, every life that we touch. Even if it is for only minutes that we are with them or minutes that we do the work that affects their lives. Together we help water those soft hearts that need little moisture to give birth to buds. Together, we help water the hard ground of those stony hearts that will become soft, natural hearts.
When we realize that we are only one drop of rain, one snowflake, we become humble. We realize that we are not on earth to become important, successful, rich or full of power as the world expects of us. Yes, our importance lies in accepting that we are little words sent forth from the mouth of God, and that, as long as we dedicate our lives to doing God's Will with love, we WILL accomplish what God desires, we WILL NOT lead empty lives, we WILL prosper wherever our lives are centered - in our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our Churches. No life, no rain drop, no snowflake, is too small to bring delight to the Heart of God. Yet each rain drop, each snow flake, needs all the others to produce the constant rainfalls and snowfalls of grace that happen throughout each life, including our own, that will make the eternal difference for all of us.
Remember that "Our Lord's patience is directed toward salvation." (from 2 Peter 3.) We are always so impatient! We want to see results NOW. Why hasn't that person changed his ways after that conversation I had with him? Why isn't my child grateful after all the things I've done for her? Why did that counselee go back on drugs?
Just remember that you are not the only person or experience in other's lives. You are only one rain drop, one snowflake, totally needed to make a difference, but not the only one needed in this person's life. Imagine yourself at the end of your life, or maybe even now: when you look back at your life, there are many people, many events that have changed you, helped you grow. Your life has been literally flooded with many rainfalls and snowfalls of grace to water and soften your heart. Trust our God Who is at work in every life.
You are the rain drop, the snow flake, needed to prepare hearts for the Coming of the Lord. What comes after the rainfall, the snowfall? The sun comes to finish the work of preparing the soil to produce blossoms, to produce wheat and fruit trees and gardens of vegetables and flowers. "In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace." (from the Canticle of Zechariah, Luke 1.) Jesus is the Sun/Son of God, traveling across the entire skies of our lives; nothing can be hidden from the heavenly rays of the heavenly Son! The Son's burning rays consume our sins and dry up our doubts and produce such wonderful heavenly fruit in our lives.
God says to you today, right now: Do not be discouraged. Dry your eyes. Calm your frustrated hurt and anger. I am with you. You are not worthless. You are not incapable of accomplishing anything. Who you are and what you do has eternal significance in My Heavenly Plan. And, one day "You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.…" One day I will reveal everything to you, my little rain drop, my little snowflake. And you will see how you have delighted my Heart and led others, especially those you love, into My heavenly Embrace.