Jesus Bring the Rain

I don't know if you have heard this song (can't think of who sings it...just know that I like it). It was playing on the radio today and it got me thinking (SCARY!). I thought about my life (even scarier). Ok I just looked it up and it is sung by mercy me...and here are the lyrics:

"Bring 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

In the past when things were bad, I would search for all the answers. Try to put my faith in God, but still look for humans to fix my problems. Little did I realize, or more accurately, little would I admit, that I was in trouble because of my own misguided ways. It wasn't the world attacking me, it was me attacking myself. Anyways, I would go to church and "proclaim" my faith that God would pull me through... hoping that if I said it enough, I would believe it. When I got out of trouble, I would eventually start getting cocky and arrogant thinking that I had made it this far on my own. And it wouldn't be long before I was back looking for someone to help me out of the hole I put myself in.

Oddly enough once things are going OK, I start to get cocky and arrogant. I start thinking I can do things on my own. Pretty soon, the clouds start coming and I panic again.

What I failed to realize through all of this is that if I stand still, in good times and bad, Jesus will calm me. Someone once told me, God doesn't promise to calm the storm but to calm you in the storm. The only times I was even remotely close to God was in the "rain". If that's where God got His praise from me, makes sense that there is where he's going to keep me. Through this recent thirst and hunger for the Lord's word, I have realized that even before I truly loved God, I would cling to Him in times of trouble. Now I'm living for Him and notice that the rain clouds bring more rainbows. Through the most recent rain storms in my life, I haven't felt completely panicked and overwhelmed.

In fact this morning my daughter and I were talking about worry and fear. I explained to Brittany that having Faith in God means that we shouldn't worry (but we are human so we will....I know complicated thoughts for children's minds especially at 7 am!). So she asked me what Faith meant....how do you explain to an 8 year old what Faith is? My explanation was when you trust and believe that someone will always do their best is to have faith in them. (Thankfully my daughter has Faith in my words and believes my confidence when we discuss God) (Side note....My church is FAITH Assembly of God...hmm maybe a later blog on the word FAITH).
Back to the worry and fear story...I explained to Brittany what Pastor Larry said in his sermon about No Fear is To Big For God. That God provides for the birds. But he made this world for us. So if He will supply every need that Bird has, then we have to know that He will supply our needs.

So to wrap this up. I want to ask God a favor.
If ever I get arrogant and think I can do it on my own, or if You just need me to spend more time on You, or if I need to just refocus and re prioritize on You, then please wrap me in Your arms, and....Bring the rain!

Never thought about praying for a storm, but like the song says....If that's what it takes to praise You,

hmm......