Being Content Growth

Bring The Rain

(I’ve been doing a little mini-series on trials. Sometimes these mini-series are unplanned and just happen because of what God has placed on my heart. Hopefully for those who are going through trials, you’ve found them encouraging. For those who aren’t, I hope they’ve been encouraging to you as well. :))

I’ve lived in Southern California for over 25 years now and I still marvel at the weather.  It’s a wonderful gift that we can wait for sunshine to go grocery shopping, because if it’s inclement today in all likelihood it won’t be tomorrow. Recently, however, we’ve had a spate of storms. These storms weren’t just “big for Southern California” – they unleashed a bucket load of rain that would impress a mid-westerner. And while I enjoy an occasional downpour as much as the next person, sometime around the 6th day straight of rain, I was over it. Just like the refrain in the child’s lullaby, I was wishing for the rain, rain to go away (and was really hoping it didn’t come back another day.)

Sometimes, however, the rain lasts much longer than we think we can endure. This is true of the drops that fall from the sky and the storms that we face in life. However, in their song “Bring the Rain,” MercyMe gives us a different perspective to consider when our lives are caught in a downpour. They sing:

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

Did you catch that? Instead of asking God to take away the rain, they ask Him to bring it – if it brings Him glory. I know people who pray to avoid painful situations, and those that pray to have pain removed, but to tell God in advance that you are o.k. with the heartache if that through it, His goodness is shown takes a faith and a confidence that is rarely seen.

As I’ve written previously, I don’t think we need to go looking for pain. However, I do think we need to offer everything to God, even our comfort and contentedness if through it, His goodness can be put on display.

May our hearts increasingly be not only willing to endure what life brings, but may we offer up whatever God needs to use even if it means some rain.

 

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Growth Hope

An Invitation to Suffer

We’ve all been the recipient of an invitation that we didn’t want to accept. Whether it was a prospective suitor whose feelings we didn’t share, or a birthday party of someone who felt closer to us than we felt with them, or the obligatory family outing – there are times that we are asked to participate in some activity and we would rather not. Some of us (the introverts among us) may face this situation more often than others, but all of us, know what it’s like to get that invite and then have to resolve how we ought to respond, with how we want to respond.

However, despite how uncomfortable we may feel to get the unwanted invitation, it probably didn’t compare to how Timothy felt when Paul invited him to share in the suffering that he was enduring. After all, when you receive a letter from your mentor, you are probably expecting words of encouragement, perhaps a commentary on what you’ve done well, and maybe even some insight into what you need to change. Paul however, starts off his second letter to Timothy with an exhortation to participate in the pain he is currently experiencing as a result of his witness for Christ.

Imagine if you will if Paul could have availed himself of modern day technology.

He sends the text to Timothy:

I know it’s hard, but don’t worry about what others are saying. Instead, why don’t you join me in suffering for Christ?

Timothy responds:

?????

It’s an inconceivable proposition, but it’s exactly what Paul presents. For not only has Paul experienced the pain, but he has also experienced the rewards of going through the pain. He knows that his trials have shaped and molded his life in such a way that he can write “Follow me as I follow Christ.” (See I Corinthians 11:1) And this should be the goal that all followers of Christ desire. That when people look at our lives, they see through us to view Christ.

And beyond that, Paul knew that there were heavenly rewards that awaited him- that however bad it was on this Earth, it didn’t compare to the goodness of Heaven’s treasures. If for no other reason, this was cause for Timothy to want to fully participate in the ministry, and the sufferings, of the Gospel, and Paul loved him enough to extend him the invitation.

(A quick sidebar/clarification- In case anyone misinterprets the “invitation” – I don’t believe that Paul was exhorting Timothy to go looking for pain – and we shouldn’t do so either. But Paul did want Timothy to not back away from the pain and suffering that being an ambassador of Christ “naturally” brings. And we shouldn’t either.)

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