God uses our moments of brokenness to speak to us.God uses our times of brokenness to change us.
God uses our seasons of brokenness to mature us.
God uses our remembrance of brokenness to use us.
All For His Glory!
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18
Very often in life we choose a path for ourselves that turns out to be more self-reliant than God-reliant. For Christians it usually doesn't start out that way, but soon we find ourselves at a place where we're asking, "God, where are you?"
I'm not speaking of those times in life that we find ourselves dealing with things that are totally beyond our control; those situations or circumstances we are powerless to contend with. I am speaking of those that come from our own selfish choices.
Often, because of God's grace, we are able to deal with the troubles of life, and mistakenly believe it is a result of our own wisdom or strength. We fail to recognize God's hand at work and begin to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to.
This independent spirit often raises it's head through an attitude of self-righteousness, self-centeredness, self-reliance or some other sinful ways. Many times this person looks godly on the outside, yet they are inwardly rebelling against God.*
The Word warns us:
"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
I Corinthians 10:12
and
"When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom." Proverbs 11:2
This self-reliant , self-righteous, self-centered attitude is simply a spirit of pride.
The world rewards and distinguishes people who display strength, natural charisma and a "get it done" mentality. But God works through people who recognize their weakness. *
Unless we come to the end of ourselves and learn to let God work in us and through us, we will never reach our full potential in Christ.* We will keep running into the same wall and the same obstacles will defeat us every time. Same bad choices lead to the same bad results.
"Brokenness is God's requirement for maximum usefulness." Through adversity, failure and disappointment, the Father molds us into people whom He can use.*
God's love for us is so great that He allows times of brokenness to occur in our lives to get our attention. Now, don't misunderstand me here, I didn't say He causes them to happen, but allows them to happen and it's usually due to our own sinfulness.
The Father uses adversity in our lives to break our self-will and transform us into useful vessels for His kingdom.**
Brokenness is the Lords way of dealing with our desire to act independently of Him. God wants us to bring every area of our lives into submission to His will, and He uses our trials to lead us to a point of total surrender.
God wants to break our self-will so we can be fully devoted to Jesus. This means three things:
2. Brokenness is an act of God's mercy intended to bring us to repentance, and back to Him.
3. Brokenness is to conform us to His will and make us effective ministers to others.Through adversity God targets the area of self-will in our lives. Those manifested in our habits, attitudes, even relationships, where we act independently of His purpose for our life. He wants to break the attitudes that do not honor Him.**
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:17
Skillfully and lovingly God allows circumstances that will bring us enough discomfort, and sometimes even pain and fear, that cause us to realize our dependence on Him.
Submit to His guidance and deliberately rely upon His power and not your own.* Conform your will to His and be restored to the place He always intended you to be. Submit to Him so that He might reshape you into the servant He desires.***
God Bless and Press On
Larry* denotes thoughts from "God's Purpose For Brokenness" by Charles Stanley
** denotes thoughts from "God's Pathway To Brokenness" by Charles Stanley*** denotes thoughts from "Remodeled By Brokenness" by Charles Stanley
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