Bring the Rain

One of my all time favorite verses has always been. Isaiah 6:8

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me

I would read that and prayed that God would use me, wherever, however, whenever. I was His to use. I meant it. I wanted Him to do whatever He wanted. I wanted my life to bring Him glory. I have said on here before that my goal in life is to glorify God and show Him to others.

I know that God will take the life of His chosen and use it. He knows where are our lives are going. He has plans for us. Another favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

God has a plan for His chosen's lives. He knows where they are going. He will lead them to Him and perform His works in their lives. 

That sounds great, and cosy, and exciting, but something God has been really showing me is that sometimes that plan God has for me is not fun. Its miserable. The trials are rough.

God promises that for His called it will work together for good in Romans 8:28.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose"

But when you are in the middle of the rough times its hard to see that God has a plan. In all the trials, its hard to say, "God here I am. Do Your amazing will." We want to say, "Please stop!" but honestly is that what we want. 

Do we really not want the trials? During the rough times, its easy to say yes. But honestly, think about it. Would we really want no rough times? 

I think through my trials and know that they made me who I am. It was always during the trials that I knew God better. Even in the times when I turned away from Him, He still used the times to grow me. He used those times in mighty ways. I would never be the person I am had I not gone through those times. 

Also, I look back and see how my trials have been used in other people's lives to show them Him. I can also see how seeing other's struggles has shown me God and His love.

During the trials don't we want to say, "God I know this is Your will, but I think I know better."? Maybe its just me, but I have thought things like that. I have told God I know better than He does. Surely this struggle or trial is not the best thing for me. 

 But I'm not God! And looking back, the trials have been terrible, but during those times I have had to lean on God. I have grown so much in Him, and learned so much. And if thats what it takes to bring Him glory, well thats what I want. I want my life to bring Him glory. That is far more important than my comfort.

Something my mom would always tell me is that God doesn't care about how comfortable we are, He cares about our relationship with Him and His glory. Its so true. He will bring us through those rough times because He cares about His glory and our relationship with Him.

A song that started me thinking about all this is the song, Bring the Rain. Its talks about how circumstances don't dictate how we trust God. And we pray that God brings us anything the brings Him glory, even when its the rain. 

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty