by Rich DuBose
Any good writer knows that you’re not supposed to start an essay with your final point as the opening line. But when your final point is your only point, and it comes across as something that is extremely negative or unpopular to say, just get it over with! Say it and move on.
So, here goes. Life will break you. Eventually life breaks us all. Something will take the wind out of our sails. Marriage. Divorce. Catastrophic illness. Financial ruin. There is no shortage of things that can take us out. And when it begins there will be nothing we can do to stop it.
You need to hear what I’m not saying! I’m not saying life is hopeless and beyond repair! Or that everything a person does is an idiotic mistake! It may feel like it at times, but thankfully our feelings are just that—feelings!
I’m saying that brokenness is the norm, and the sooner we accept and acknowledge this the better off we’ll be.
Jesus said:
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash” (Matthew 7:24-27, NLT).
Historically we’ve used this passage to promote careful living, saying it provides a blueprint for those who want to avoid spiritual failure. However, what I’m saying goes beyond this. Even those who are among the spiritually careful and elite will be broken! Brokenness is endemic for anyone unfortunate enough to reside on this planet. No matter what, life will break you!
This is why Paul says, “I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10, NLT). The very things that beat us down, awaken in us the need for Jesus. The very things the devil uses to try and bludgeon us into submission to himself, convince us that Jesus is the only one who can save us. The devil’s problem is he doesn’t know when to stop. By over-accentuating our hopelessness he accidentally drives us into the arms of Jesus.
The Gift of Suffering
It’s OK. Suffering and heartache is par for the course in this life. Peter says, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world “ (1 Peter 4:12-13, NLT).
It was predicted the Messiah would be a suffering servant (in Isaiah 53), and on the road to Emmaus, when Jesus spoke with two of his unsuspecting disciples who were mourning his death, Jesus said, “Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” (Luke 24:26, NLT).
Yes, yes, and yes! Suffering and brokenness is not a sign of rejection by God, or evidence that someone has failed spiritually.
It is what Jesus meant when he said, “unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” John 12:24, NIV). It is through brokenness and dying to ourselves that we produce fruit that can bring good to life.
This is why James says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2, NIV).
A Promise
No one wants to experience difficulty and trial, but when we do, we can take comfort in the thought that God is at work, even in the midst of our sufferings and problems. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.] (John 16:23, AMP).
Rich DuBose writes from Northern California. Photo by KaboomPics, with Pexels.
NLT: Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the New Living Translation (NLT), copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
NIV (2011): Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®
NKJV: Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
AMP: "Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org"