Blessing in the Breaking

Breaking doesn't offer much appeal to people specially when our built-in proclivities and human tendencies favor the good and the comfortable. We seem to have some kind of natural aversion to  anything that is unpleasant and troublesome. Eh sino ba kasi ang gusto ng nasasaktan?

Of course. I don't like pain either. I don't like breaking points specially when I have a limited view of their purpose or their outcome. Sometimes, I do prefer the "unexamined life", the kind that is free from burden and pain only because it is spent in avoiding change and running from challenges as much as possible. But that kind of life is a rather wasted life. Not only it is boring but it is tragic.

I'm just glad that as Christians, God offered us another perspective of looking at pain and breaking. In the world's standard, pain is viewed as something to be avoided that's why people have created many ways to forget pain and suffering. We hide behind systems that give us comfort and pleasures. We've built a lot to satisfy our hedonistic side that even the Greeks would die in envy. But in the eternal view of things, even pain and breaking have got to do with a Christian's maturity and perfection. In fact, we should not be surprised by pain and suffering in the world because Jesus clearly said that we will have trouble as long as we are in this world, but the fact that He already overcame it gives us the confidence to press on towards following Him all the way. Persevere, endure the race of faith He says, and we too shall overcome.

I want to share three things that I learned in my own personal breaking points, and it is my prayer that you will also experience the many blessings that come out of the breaking.

It is an opportunity to experience God. Our breaking points could be God's way of teaching us something of value and importance to our life. I must realize that the process of breaking is necessary. It is allowed by God to bring out the best in me. The Scriptures is replete with examples of men and women who came to their own breaking points, and were blessed beyond expectation when they have endured till the end. Men such as Abraham, Moses, Joseph and Jacob are among those who experienced the process of breaking. Yet in that same painful process they have experienced God more and proven Him more. Psalm 34:18 affirms, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

It is an opportunity to move ahead. God's design for us is to move forward to maturity. He did not intend us to stuck ourselves in misery and disappointments. He created us to conquer and to rule. The Israelites during the time of Joshua were at a significant crossroad. They have been wandering and wondering in the wilderness for 40 years, and in chapter six of Joshua, we see them facing the Promised Land. Everyone was excited to receive what God had promised. But the wall of Jericho that stood before them seemed to be formidable. They needed to break down the walls before they could get in and move forward. And that's what God did because of their faith and obedience. But the victory over the broken wall was not the end. God designed them to move forward, and they did...marching through the ruins and moving forward in glory.

 Paul realized the importance of moving ahead after the breaking when he determined to do this one thing: "Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

It is an opportunity to receive what God had promised.In Joshua 6:2, even before they came face to face with their enemy, God had already given a sure victory to Israel. All they had to do was obey, have faith, and take action. After the wall came crumbling down and Israel's victory became imminent, the people of God emerged triumphant. They had just experienced another miracle from their great God. And God has just once again delivered what He had promised. God has proven once again that He is a promise-keeper! So, whatever wall we are facing right now, the promise of God is we're already overcomers and conquerors! (Romans 8:37).

So, don't be intimidated the next time you're in the process of breaking. If it is for the glory of God that we should face such pain, then surely a blessing is on the way. And there will be an outbreak of God's blessings in the painful process of breaking!

*A sermon I shared during the third week of "Break The Walls" series in our youth fellowship.

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