Putting Away Childish Things

Just pondering uncertainties in life can sometimes really tire your body and your mind.  In the past 3 days, it seems like there have been some heavy things happening in my life and in the lives of those who I really care about.  On Monday afternoon, our youngest son was involved in an accident after school playing basketball which left him with a very large bump above his eye.  Tony took the night shift with him because we were told by our health care team to wake him up every 2 hours to make sure he was still coherent.  On Tuesday afternoon, we received unfavorable news about something related to our adoption process that has halted things for a bit unless a solution is found.  Tuesday night, we were on the scene of a really bad car accident with a close family member.  Yesterday morning, a good friend informed me that her dad was tragically killed this week.  So much to handle that you wonder, God what is going on?  By the time I got home yesterday from a long meeting and made dinner, I was zonked.  I went to bed around 8:30pm.

When I got up this morning, my heart was still a little heavy just asking why so much heavy stuff all at once.  I started thinking about how much better it would be if God would just fix all of this for me, my family, and friends...RIGHT NOW, right?  I don't want to experience this pain and I certainly don't want my family and friends experiencing any of this either.  It seems like this storm of life right now is so huge and the raindrops are pounding ferociously.  What ever happened to the simplicity of life when we could sing, "Rain, Rain Go Away"?  Remember this....

In looking at this little nursery rhyme and its 'cuteness', I'm also reminded of what is written in 1 Corinthians 13:11-12, "When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.  All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely."

As I have matured and grown, I am realizing that although the 'rain' (problems/challenges) sometimes prevents me from going out and having fun (living life the way that I want), the rain is necessary.  If we had sunshine outside all of the time, we'd also have drought and famine.  Now I don't want drought and famine either so guess what, I need to rejoice even when the rain comes. Over the years, I've seen how the rain in my life has produced character in me, forced me cling closer to God, and allowed me to see God show up in my life in ways that were unbelievable.  Although I know this is right, I would be lying and will probably sound a little schizophrenic when I say that some times although I know God can and will deliver me, I often feel like finding a corner and cowering in it when the rain starts pouring and feels a little too heavy.  Yet, even in my fear, I have to believe that this season of rain in my life will be no different from the other seasons where God has showed his faithfulness and brought me out of my adversity.

If you haven't heard it before, the group Mercy Me has a song out called "Bring the Rain".  It's so contrary to the nursery rhyme "Rain, Rain Go Away" that I was taught as a child but guess what, I'm no longer a child.  If you've never seen it before, take a look at the story behind the song and then the song itself.

Lord, I wouldn't choose challenges in life and I certainly don't understand why you allow some things to happen.  Yet, I have to trust you and also know that you will use even the bad to work towards good to teach us and bring us closer to you.  

The Story Behind the Song....



....and the actual song with lyrics....