THE BLESSING OF BROKENNESS
Scripture: ACTS 9:1-9, ACTS 15:36-41, COLOSSIANS 1:27, DANIEL 2:37-38, DANIEL 2:42-43, DANIEL 2:45-49, DANIEL 4:28-37, EPHESIANS 3:17, EPHESIANS 4:32, GALATIANS 2:20, ISAIAH 1:6, ISAIAH 1:10, ISAIAH 1:12, ISAIAH 1:16-17, ISAIAH 1:21-28
The Blessing of Brokenness
Brokenness: God's Way to Strength and Stature
Rick Ferguson
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Question: Have you ever tried to make sense out of suffering?
Have you ever wondered, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"
Every thinking person grapples with these tough questions of life. And believers are no exception. All of us who know, love and trust Christ are still faced with the reality of suffering, evil, pain and injustice that is present in the world. And if we were totally honest, all of us would have to admit there have been times when:
*We could not make any sense out of the suffering we encountered.
*Our faith was shaken by the pain and problems we were facing.
*We questioned God and wondered how God could possibly let "THIS" happen to us.
Note: By the way--one of the books that blessed me in preparation for this series was the book, When Heaven Is Silent, by Ron Dunn. He makes a good point when he tells about his own personal struggle with his 17 year old son's suicide. He said sometimes we don't get answers from God because we are asking the wrong question. He questioned God following his son's death and kept asking God, "Why me, why me, why me?"
Suddenly it struck him he was asking the wrong question. The right question was, "Why NOT me?!"
To get back to our point, all of us have encountered pain and disappointments in life and it can really test our faith and spiritual fortitude.
And the fact is, sometimes we simply cannot make any earthly sense out of the suffering we encounter. We cry out, "Why"--and only hear a deafening silence in return.
These things we do know to be true, however, no matter what kind of injustice or pain we may face. We know:
1) Our Lord Jesus Christ is totally sovereign over the affairs of men.
*He is never caught be surprise.
*He is never caught in a dilemma.
*He is in total control of everything that comes into our lives.
2) Our Lord Jesus Christ is ...
Brokenness: God's Way to Strength and Stature
Rick Ferguson
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Question: Have you ever tried to make sense out of suffering?
Have you ever wondered, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"
Every thinking person grapples with these tough questions of life. And believers are no exception. All of us who know, love and trust Christ are still faced with the reality of suffering, evil, pain and injustice that is present in the world. And if we were totally honest, all of us would have to admit there have been times when:
*We could not make any sense out of the suffering we encountered.
*Our faith was shaken by the pain and problems we were facing.
*We questioned God and wondered how God could possibly let "THIS" happen to us.
Note: By the way--one of the books that blessed me in preparation for this series was the book, When Heaven Is Silent, by Ron Dunn. He makes a good point when he tells about his own personal struggle with his 17 year old son's suicide. He said sometimes we don't get answers from God because we are asking the wrong question. He questioned God following his son's death and kept asking God, "Why me, why me, why me?"
Suddenly it struck him he was asking the wrong question. The right question was, "Why NOT me?!"
To get back to our point, all of us have encountered pain and disappointments in life and it can really test our faith and spiritual fortitude.
And the fact is, sometimes we simply cannot make any earthly sense out of the suffering we encounter. We cry out, "Why"--and only hear a deafening silence in return.
These things we do know to be true, however, no matter what kind of injustice or pain we may face. We know:
1) Our Lord Jesus Christ is totally sovereign over the affairs of men.
*He is never caught be surprise.
*He is never caught in a dilemma.
*He is in total control of everything that comes into our lives.
2) Our Lord Jesus Christ is ...
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