When you consider your accomplishments you may think; my hard work produced this for me and I achieved this with my own abilities, skills and intelligence. As you reflect back it is easy to become prideful, even arrogant about your own abilities & Accomplishments. When we think we have reached the pinnacle of self control, God will choose to use that very thing in which you take pride in as an eye opener about where your good blessings came from. God will use the very gift or strength with which we place value in and use it to break us of our belief that we have complete control and live according to our own will. The bible says that God has a purpose and a plan for each of us, and while he may allow us to have free will, for those whom he wants to use for his purpose will be brought to brokenness so that they may serve to glorify him.
Proverbs 11:2
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 19:20-22
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
What is Gods Will?
John 12:24-26
I tell you the truth, 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. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Philippians 2:2-4
Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Gods' purpose and will for us is twofold: first is that we seek him as the first priority in our life and second is that we let our light shine so others can see and become like disciples and glorify god. Consider the verses above as explained by leading pastor. The kernel of wheat represents the self life, when we die to ourselves only then can God begin his good work in us. When we die to ourselves and focus our life on Gods purpose for us can we truly become fruitful and experience Gods blessing. Those who seek only worldly treasures will find only worldly rewards. These rewards die when we die and will account for nothing in the spiritual life. While we certainly have to work and provide for ourselves in this life we are not to make them our only priority. Is it not amazing the time we commit and confidence with which we place in ourselves and the things that we produce. In the world we measure people by their level of worldly success, wealth knowledge, abilities, appearance, and skills. We put such great confidence in these things it is no wonder God uses them to get our attention.
ohn 15 :5-8
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Greed, Pride, Deceit, Selfishness, Fear we all may posses some of these character traits, yet God reminds us that there is no place in the life of a Christian for them. In the bible God brought several men in the bible to brokenness then used them for his purpose. These same men at one time were sinners: Peter was broken of Pride when he denied knowing the Lord at his crucifixion after stating he would never deny him, Jacob selfishly and deceitfully stole Esau's birthright and blessing, David committed adultery with Bathsheba the wife of Uriah the same David whom God said was a man after his own heart. Moses who lost all confidence in himself yet led Gods chosen people to a new land.
James 3:13-15
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil
Matthew 23:11-13
The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
So if you are feeling as thought you have been broken and everything seems a mess then you may be very well experiencing God breaking you, bringing you to the very end of yourself where you say I cannot do this anymore I give every desire to you Lord please complete your will and not my own. The bible says we are pressed but not crushed, in other words if we are resistant to the breaking then the pressure may intensify, but God will never break your spirit or give you more than you can handle with his help. This can be better described as a forced dependence on God rather than self dependence, but only if you are open to it.
Psalm 34:17-19
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Paul told the Corinthians to be pleased if they were experiencing heartache and difficulties in this world and that it meant they were being prepared for blessing.
Psalm 119:35-37
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
The Bible says that God is able to comfort others with the peace He gives to us in broken times. We cannot avoid having our plans and personal will broken through broken dreams, broken promises, and broken relationships. But when our brokenness has been completed, God can use our shattered circumstances to draw others to Him, and we can find joy in the fact that he is using us for his purpose and glory. After all, Jesus himself was broken at the cross for you and I.
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