Spring is in the air. As the old adage reminds us, “April showers bring May flowers.” But April doesn’t just bring gentle rain. It also ushers in gusty winds and thunderstorms—elements that, while potentially damaging, are vital to the natural world.
Wind, for example, is essential to the health of forests. It breaks off dead wood, clearing the way for new growth. And for individual trees, wind plays a crucial role in building strength. As a tree endures constant movement, it develops “stress wood”—a dense, strong tissue that helps it bear weight and adjust to reach the light. That very resistance is what makes the tree resilient.
The same is true with rain. While inconvenient and sometimes disruptive, rain is life-giving. Without those showers, the flowers of May would never bloom.
And just like in nature, marriage experiences its own seasons—its own winds and showers. Storms in a relationship can feel overwhelming or discouraging, but they also hold the potential for growth and renewal.
A little bit of stress toughens the tree—and teaches it how to take care of itself, how to reach for what it needs. Likewise, the stress we experience in marriage can build deeper commitment and a stronger bond, if we allow it.
Timothy Keller once wrote:
“In any relationship, there will be frightening spells in which your feelings of love dry up. And when that happens you must remember that the essence of marriage is that it is a covenant, a commitment, a promise of future love. So what do you do? You do the acts of love, despite your lack of feeling… If you do that, as time goes on you will not only get through the dry spells, but they will become less frequent and deep… This is what can happen if you decide to love.”
So perhaps the April winds and showers are more than just seasonal nuisances. Perhaps they are reminders—that in both nature and marriage, it’s often the stress that makes us strong, the rain that makes us bloom, and the storms that teach us how to thrive.
The same is true with rain. While inconvenient and sometimes disruptive, rain is life-giving. Without those showers, the flowers of May would never bloom.
And just like in nature, marriage experiences its own seasons—its own winds and showers. Storms in a relationship can feel overwhelming or discouraging, but they also hold the potential for growth and renewal.
A little bit of stress toughens the tree—and teaches it how to take care of itself, how to reach for what it needs. Likewise, the stress we experience in marriage can build deeper commitment and a stronger bond, if we allow it.
Timothy Keller once wrote:
“In any relationship, there will be frightening spells in which your feelings of love dry up. And when that happens you must remember that the essence of marriage is that it is a covenant, a commitment, a promise of future love. So what do you do? You do the acts of love, despite your lack of feeling… If you do that, as time goes on you will not only get through the dry spells, but they will become less frequent and deep… This is what can happen if you decide to love.”
So perhaps the April winds and showers are more than just seasonal nuisances. Perhaps they are reminders—that in both nature and marriage, it’s often the stress that makes us strong, the rain that makes us bloom, and the storms that teach us how to thrive.