Stop Talking About the Rain

I had an out-of-town speaking engagement back in the place where I grew up. Before heading home, I stopped at one of my favorite local spots for lunch.

Full disclosure—I spent most of the meal eavesdropping.

Eating alone isn’t something I do often, so I did what most of us do: stared at my phone and quietly listened to the conversations around me.

At one table sat a group of young professionals—looked like they worked in emergency services for rural communities. Their conversation was sharp. Focused. Intentional.

They talked about vision for their communities, solutions to real obstacles, and how to distinguish between actual problems and perceived ones. It was engaging, thoughtful… honestly, it sounded a lot like a high-level church leadership meeting.

On the other side of me sat a group of older farmers.

Their conversation?

The rain.

How much they needed it.

When it might come.

What the latest measurements were.

They even polled everyone who walked in—people they mostly knew—collecting rain gauge totals like it was critical data.

Now, to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with talking about the rain. It’s relevant. It’s communal. It connects people.

But here’s what struck me:

Talking about the rain doesn’t change the rain.

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A Word to Older Leaders

I’ve spent most of my ministry speaking to younger leaders—encouraging them to grow in wisdom, think strategically, and lead with clarity.

But after listening to those two tables, I feel compelled to say something to those of us who’ve been at this a while.

Sometimes, we drift into conversations that feel meaningful… but ultimately accomplish very little.

We talk about things we can’t control.

We analyze situations we can’t change.

We revisit problems we have no authority to solve.

In other words—we talk about the rain.

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Work the Field You’ve Been Given

There’s an old principle I’ve heard over the years:

God won’t do what the farmer can do, and the farmer can’t do what God will do.

That’s true in ministry too.

There are things only God can do:

•Change hearts

•Move culture

•Bring revival

•Send the “rain”

And then there are things He has clearly entrusted to us:

•Faithful leadership

•Intentional discipleship

•Clear vision

•Courageous action

The danger comes when we spend our time in God’s lane… instead of working in ours.

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Modern “Rain Talk” in Ministry

It doesn’t always sound like farming conversations.

Sometimes it sounds like:

•“That one guy will never change…”

•“Culture is just too far gone…”

•“Our town will never respond…”

•“We’ve tried that before…”

And while those conversations may be honest… they’re often unproductive.

They don’t move the mission forward.

They don’t strengthen the church.

They don’t change the outcome.

They are just a rain dance.

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Let God Handle the Rain

As we meet, plan, pray, and lead, let’s be intentional about where we spend our energy.

Let’s have conversations marked by:

•Vision

•Solutions

•Faith

•Action

Let’s work the field God has placed in front of us.

And let’s trust Him with what only He can do.

Because at the end of the day…

We can’t control the rain.

But we can be faithful with the harvest.