Faith, Chaos, and the Summer Rain

Do you ever experience God in the little, everyday things? Have you ever felt like God was speaking to you through something simple—like rain, nature, or a random moment in your day?

In this clip, Hiroto encounters another of Hanaya’s unique ways of seeing things. 

Hiroto has been reading the Bible Hanaya gave him, asking questions as he goes. But what’s really driving his curiosity? Is it a growing faith—or a quiet crush on Hanaya? As he spends more time with Hanaya, more of her world is bleeding into his. The more he listens to her, the more he finds himself drawn—not just to her, but to the God she knows so intimately.

Hanaya Oki Series:  https://superdifferent.com/hanaya 

Transcript

Hiroto 0:00

Hanaya, I think we better hurry back home. We have to turn in our physics assignment by tomorrow.

Hanaya 0:05

Oh, just chill, Hiroro! The urgencies and deadlines! They can wait! Sometimes it's good to step back, slow down a bit, and maybe immerse ourselves in the rhythm of God's creation. Like feeling this cool summer breeze on our faces, feeling the gentle summer rain washing over us. Waiting for the raindrops to fall on us moment by moment is like eagerly anticipating the sustaining helping grace of God.

Hiroto 0:30

How do such thoughts and words flow from you Hanaya?

Hanaya 0:33

Well, you can see God each day if you look to see in the small and simple things. The Bible says, blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits. He sends His rain and makes His sun rise both on the good and bad, the nice and nasty. You know, we often take for granted the beauty of this world, even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less. They become invisible to us. You might think this is costing our time. But the benefit outweighs the cost. When I look at the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds, the rain, the stars, I see someone else. I see God. It helps me not to get wrapped up in myself, my feelings, and my aspirations. It's like waiting on God. In all my busyness, I don't want to lose my consciousness of God. I don't want to forget Him all day long. I'm depending on His grace to help. It makes me thankful, refreshes my tired soul, and softens my heart towards others.

Hiroto 1:35

Wow! Hanaya, you're such a mystery! You're so raw in your emotions and unreligious in your expression. But honestly, when you talk, I feel like you're not explaining everything to me. I really want to know God the way you do.

Hanaya 1:47

Hey, everything is a mystery, an enigma, unless you believe the Bible. God created us with curiosity, which is the foundation of a seeking heart. If things are so obvious, it doesn't create mystery. I think it's good to leave an element of mystery to draw people in. Jesus did not explain everything to the people. He spoke in the language of stories. What I have noticed about you Hiroto is that you listen to understand, not to argue or attack. God rewards those who diligently seek to know Him. He will guide and illuminate your heart and mind. As you understand and know him, you'll start to think and speak like I do. People will find you strange . While some will ignore, others will find the strangeness intriguing. They will scratch their heads and not yet understand, but they will start asking genuine questions. But you know, it's not we who are strange. The strangest thing of all is this present world of sin, this God ignoring age. People get caught up in the hype of this world and in the momentary euphoria of sin. God is a minor reality in most people's lives. He doesn't have weight. He rests far too lightly on their hearts. They need to start looking at the bigger picture. I wasn't like this a few years ago. I was to find out that God is the one who is out-of-the-box, and I'm the one who was religious. When our hearts are lit up with gratitude, it stops us from complaining. God is not bothered by some of the things we love. He loves it when we spontaneously thank Him for the things we enjoy. He wants us to notice and acknowledge that all good things come from Him. He doesn't want us to make idols out of them or value them too much. God is not nearly as religious and legalistic as some of His people are.

Hiroto 3:34

I feel like everyone's kind of religious in their own way. Because everyone has a belief system. Everyone has some form of a worldview that leads to their philosophy and rule of life. But I am finding out that Christianity is not just another better philosophy of life. It is another reality and another way of life altogether. By the way, how do you usually deal with unexpected conflicts and challenges?

Hanaya 4:02

Well, I am learning that facing life head-on is the best way to deal with whatever comes my way. I may want to run and honestly, sometimes I want to, but I know that I have to learn and gain understanding, in order to move forward. There are no shortcuts. So instead of fighting against what is happening around me, I just surrender and let God do His work in me and around me. The process of life involves God using all the different seasons, especially the uncomfortable ones to build our character. We gain the experience to deal with situations and circumstances that await us down the road.

Hiroto 4:38

Sometimes I feel like I have been a hamster on a wheel long enough, striving, pushing and trying to make things happen. I guess because I want to be in control. I end up working myself into an anxious wreck.

Hanaya 4:51

Oh, we all try to make things happen. We need to find our balance. We can't control all outcomes. We need to step back, be still, and trust God. We can end up in a tight place in life when we make a mistake, a wrong turn, delay or bad choice. But God factors in grace for this. Also, I think most of the things that we worry about never happen. But if you want to minimize making mistakes, then be led by the spirit of God. Wait for His counsel . Listen to His still small voice. You know, the professionals built the Titanic and it sunk, but amateurs built the ark. The only difference between the two was who you get your directions from. There's this scripture in the Bible that says, trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight. Hiroto, develop a deep connection with God. Become intimate with Him and He will lead you. It's not hard. It's just relational. You don't have to perform. Relationships are birthed from the heart. They are not governed by formulas or rules. God is not waiting for you to say some eloquent prayer. Be honest, be raw with Him. Your prayers can simply be words that really come from your heart. Don't let discouragement and impatience get you down. God never forgets us. Every day you can choose whether or not to dwell on His love for you. Open your heart to God and He will heal the wounds of your soul.

Hiroto 6:23

It's impossible to avoid chaos, isn't it?

Hanaya 6:25

Oh yeah! We will encounter both external and internal chaos in life. Neither of these will disappear on their own or by accident. God isn't afraid of chaos. He enters right into the chaos. When I gaze at the orange tinted evening twilight sky, or the clouds drifting slowly in the blue sky, it's a very calm and serene feeling. They speak of a constant in the midst of chaos, that God is upholding the universe and can reveal Himself and act in whatever way is needed for me. When we feel our hopes are evaporating in the heat of our circumstances, God is orchestrating far more than we see or know. His helping grace comes to us like the summer rain, watering the dry places of our lives, bringing back hope and life to us.