06/12/2026
Someone told me long ago
There’s a calm before the storm
I know, it’s been comin’ for some time
When it’s over, so they say
It’ll rain on a sunny day
I know, shining down like water
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?
Yesterday and days before
Sun is cold and rain is hard
I know, been that way for all my time
‘Til forever on it goes
Through the circle, fast and slow
I know, it can’t stop, I wonder
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?
“Have You Ever Seen The Rain” John Fogerty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1970.
Creedence Clearwater Revival, called “CCR” by fans, has been one of my favorite bands since its appearance in the late 1960s. They released 6 albums in two years with tremendous success, but with success seeds of the band’s breakup were being sown.
Lead singer John Fogerty saw the impending breakup of Creedence and wrote one his most powerful and mournful songs, “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”.
“The imagery is, you can have a bright, beautiful, sunny day, and it can be raining at the same time,” Fogerty told Rolling Stone in 1993. “The band was breaking up. I was reacting, ‘Geez, this is all getting serious right at the time when we should be having a sunny day.’”
John’s brother, Tom Fogerty, left the band in 1971 as “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” scaled the charts. Two other band members demanded greater prominence resulting in bad decisions, bad music and the band’s demise later that year.
On the surface it sounds like a weather observation, almost cheerful in its melody. But underneath it’s a song about the cruelest kind of loss: success arriving at the exact moment everything is falling apart. The sunny day and the rain, at the same time. That tension is haunting.
Fogerty’s song was not written looking back after the band’s breakup. He wrote it while watching it approach, knowing that he couldn’t stop it. He grieves in anticipation.
When the sun is shining and things are going well in your life, you often don’t expect the coming storm. The calm before the storm often deceives and lulls the unwary into a false sense of security.
This is the danger pride presents. The wisdom of Solomon warns: “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
When you are standing on the pinnacle of success with the sun still warm on your face, the storm starts to form just over the horizon. “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
This scenario plays out over and over again, “yesterday and days before” and in Scripture for our learning. (Romans 15:4)
Haman was promoted by the Persian king “above all the princes” and “all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to” him except for one man, Mordecai. (Esther 3:1-2) Despite his great success, riches and promotion, his pride and anger was so great he said it all meant nothing to him seeing Mordecai refusing to bow to him. (Esther 5:13)
But in the midst of his sunny day, the storm struck and the rain fell hard. “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.” (Esther 7:10)
Built on rocky heights, the nation of Edom boasted of its security. But the Lord said, “‘The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,’ says the LORD.” (Obadiah 3-4)
This circle of pride, condemnation and fall has been this way for all time, till forever on it goes. If you are “puffed up with pride…(you will) fall into the same condemnation as the devil.” (1 Timothy 3:6)
Don’t think you can stop it.
I know, it can’t stop, I wonder
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?
I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain
Comin’ down on a sunny day?
