Let it Rain

I think as Americans it is easy to shy away from the hardships in life; to spend our energy and time keeping our lives as comfortable and pain free as possible. Believe me, I am the queen of comfort and can easily base my life around doing only the things that I am comfortable with.
It seems though, that the Lord has given us great opportunities to grow and stretch out of that comfort zone and experience the life we were meant to live.
With that being said, there have been many times where, in the midst of growing, I have wanted to give up. I thought that if I were stretched one more inch, I would certainly break. If I were asked one more time to come out of my comfort zone, I would run in the opposite direction.
Looking back, I can see that God has used these growing pains to develop my faith and bring me into a fuller relationship with him. Had I not continued to press on through the storm, would I have known that God was with me in the midst of it? If I had given up, would I have developed the faith to obey the Lord when he asked us to adopt our daughter, in the midst of this economic crisis and political showdown? I struggle with this even now, but I have learned that I can rely on the Lord when he asks us to go through the storm. Because, in the midst of the storm I get glimpses of him, and I wouldn't trade that for anything.

Isaiah 55:10 - 11
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Let it Rain