just to add on...

"The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that i may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
"The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary, he wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.

The Lord God has opened my ear, and i was not rebellious, i turned not backward.
The sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.

I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
i hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; i did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.

But the Lord God helps me; therefore i have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and i know that i shall not be put to shame."
Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. therefore have i set my face like flint, and i know i will not be put to shame."

Isaiah 50:4-7
(NIV) and (ESV)

I saw this scripture later on today and for some reason it just got to me, and I've been showing it to everyone i can :P

I think it speaks to me a lot because i feel like my role in the church will eventually deal with teaching or at least include that. Obviously Isaiah also had a part to do in that role for Israel and was not popular because of it. But even though he had to go though mockery and beatings and hard HARD times, he still did not back away from the truth he knew was right! and it was all because he knew he answered to a higher authority. God gave him the message for Israel to hear so went on and gave it and took crap for it because he knew God will always be behind him- the Lord never leaves his people, even through the hard times. You just have to stay true to him and his word and he will deliver you.

I think that's what some Christians feel like that's how God operates; that He is only there for the happy times. but God is there for the good, bad and the ugly- i mean, if there were only mountain top moments, then you wouldn't grow! it's only when we go through the wilderness do we start learning more about God and his Love and how amazing he truly is.

Isaiah understood that, and it is because of this understanding, he was able to find the strength needed to carry on God's message for Israel.

It is echoed in Isaiah a lot but when we come out of the desert (meaning really hard times; when we don't seem to be feeling God that much or at all) after pushing through the doubt and frustration by still doing our devotions and prayer, we just can't help but Glorify God.
We can't help but say "Thank you God for letting me get through that! I couldn't have done it with out you..."

Peace be with you : )