THE LESSON OF BROKENESS

No one enjoys the feeling of brokenness, but we cannot ignore its wonderful benefits to our spiritual growth. Being broken gives us an entirely new perspective on the Lord's plan for our lives. You see, enjoying a steady, uninterrupted stream of blessings has an interesting effect on most people: it distorts our view of the Father, often leaving us to assume He exists for us.
We ask God for healing, for success, for financial security. We ask Him to bless our family and our relationships. We ask and ask and ask. And the truth is, much of the time we aren't really talking to the Lord at all. Instead, we've replaced Him with some sort of cosmic errand boy--we tell Him what we want and then send Him off to get it for us.
In all of this, who is actually at the center of our prayers? It certainly isn't almighty God, our eternal Savior and Creator of the universe. No, instead we find ourselves at the center of these prayers. Therefore, the end result is the subtle belief that God exists for our benefit. This distortion breaks God's heart and leads us far away from truly knowing Him for who He really is.
The antidote for this self-centered idolatry is brokenness. When God says "No," when He takes away instead of adding more, when He divinely manages what we have, how much we have, and how long we have it, He is helping us keep our eyes on Him. Do not despise these moments. Instead, recognize them as the voice of your Father calling you back into His loving arms.