Bring the Rain

I've been wanting to write this post for a while now, and thought it was somehow fitting when I woke up to a dreary, rainy day. One of my favorite passages is James 1:2-3, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

While I wholeheartedly believe that trials bring blessing and build your faith, do we actually stop to embrace trials? Here's the more difficult question--would we actually ASK for God to bring us trials? While the easy "Sunday School answer" might be yes, in reality, it is very difficult for me to actually think of asking God to bring me more trials.

And yet, let's think about the rain for a minute. Why does God bring rain? Of course, he brings it to foster growth. The rainiest places on our planet are the greenest. More rain, more green.

And after the rain? The rainbow. The promise that He will never again destroy the Earth. He has never left us and never will. However much rain He chooses to bring, it will never be enough to destroy us, and He will always be beside us as we pass through the storm.

So, back to the question at hand. Can I honestly invite God to bring the rain into my life? Well, I want a more abundant life, both now, and into eternity. I want more of my Jesus. I'm really trying to embrace this current rain, and to find what He's trying to teach me, and to share it. I'm not really sure that I can say that I want more rain in my life right now, but I'm trusting that God knows best. And if that's what He chooses, and if that's what it takes to praise Him...Jesus bring the rain.


Bring the Rain by MercyMe (again, you can hear it on the playlist at the bottom of the page)

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