This afternoon Ian pulled out from under my dresser a little box in which I had kept of some scraps of paper and notebooks from years ago; journals, sermon notes, Bible studies, and unfinished poems. Before I stuffed it back into what I thought was it’s safe and hidden prison, I read over some of the words I’d copied to remember and they blessed me anew as the truths resounded in my soul. I thought I’d share some with you:
“Joy. A person who has not had the death grip of sin broken in his or her life cannot experience true joy…People who are genuinely broken by God know great joy. Brokenness changes our desires.
“God has no other plan for us. Brokenness is His way to blessing. Only as we are broken can we truly begin to understand the nature of God.”
“God is with us always, but brokenness makes us more sensitive to His presence.”
“God places only one condition on the blessings that He has for us through brokenness; we must be willing to submit to Him. After brokenness our lives can be the most fruitful and have the most purpose. The dawn after a very dark and storm wrecked night is glorious. Feeling joy again after a period of intense mourning can be ecstatic. A blessing can come in the wake of being broken.”
“He teaches us so that we might teach others. He imparts His insights so that we might share them with others. He gives us spiritual gifts so that we might use them to help others. He comforts and encourages us so that we might provide comfort and encouragement to others. He gives us financial prosperity so that we might benefit others and provide the means for the gospel to reach them.”
” Loss is virtually always a part of being broken.”
“God breaking us is aimed at bringing us to the point where we awaken with God’s purposes in mind. Our prayers must become, “What is it that you would want me to do, say, and be today in order to bring you glory?”
~Charles Stanley from “The Blessings of Brokenness”
“First, you do not have to be controlled by your feelings. Second, you are not the helpless prisoner of your past.
Forgiveness sees the needs of the offender.” ~Ed Wheat
“Therefore, let those who also suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” 1Peter 4:19
“If we would read the secret history of our enemies, we would find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.” ~Longfellow