Break Me

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Scripture: James 1:2-4 (ESV)

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Devotion:

            This devotion will discuss a very dangerous prayer. This prayer is so bizarre according to the worlds standards that it is laughable. Yet, it is a prayer that God longs to hear from his children. This prayer is simply; “break me Lord.” Why would anyone want to pray a prayer like that? In modern culture with its desire for a life of carefree ease, it simply makes no sense. The world says enjoy the pleasures of life. Flee from suffering, pain, and dis-ease and the people of God follow the way of the world in this desire. Honestly, who would prefer hardships and suffering to a life of happiness and joy?

            The Bible is full of men and women who suffered greatly. We say their suffering was fine for them, but we are not called to suffer hardships and pain. We think of Jesus and the suffering he endured on that Good Friday 2,000 years ago and rejoice that he suffered pain, so we do not have to.

            As the scripture above indicates Christians must be prepared to suffer in this life. And if we look around us, we will see Christians (possibly even ourselves) who are suffering. But who in their right mind would actually pray for God to break them so that they could experience hardship, suffering, and pain. After all, didn’t even Paul ask God to take away the “thorn” in his flesh.  Shouldn’t we as Christians follow Paul’s example?

            If we study Paul’s example, we realize that Paul allowed the Lord to break him with regard to the thorn in his flesh. Paul asked for relief and was refused. It was not until Paul was broken by the situation that he allowed himself to accept his condition was not going to change and he would have to live with it. So, we today must allow the Lord to break us for our own good.

            In my own life I have been broken by the Lord. Similar to Paul I had an illness that was getting worse and worse. I prayed that it would go away. My friends and family prayed that I would be healed. Finally, I was thrown into a mental hospital for 1 month and a residential recovery program for 6 months before I finally accepted my illness and allowed the Lord to break me of my plans for my life and submit to His plan. Being broken is no fun, but it is necessary for complete obedience. As that man of God A.W. Tozer once said: “It is doubtful whether God can bless [a person] greatly until he has hurt [them] deeply.”

Prayer:

            Lord give us courage this day that we need to pray to be broken by you. We admit our fear and trepidation that even the thought of this gives us. Help us to understand that you will never do anything that is not for our ultimate good. Teach us how to pray this prayer and accept the changes that you desire to bring about in our lives. May your will be done not our own. Amen

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