What is Praise to God part 4

What is Praise to God? part 3

What is Praise to God? part 2

Broken

It has been very difficult for me to understand why God allows suffering in this world. Just when I think I get a handle on it...I realize that for all of my analyzing...somethings about God remain a mystery.

I do know that God allows things to come in our lives to strengthen and to mold our character. With this I realization (chuckle) I know that God has been trying to smooth out the rough edges in me for some time now. However, God is not to blame for everything we go through in our lives. To which, let me add...that sometimes we have been our own worst enemies.

Yet there are distinct moments of brokenness. Where we stand and see the shattered pieces of our lives or the lives of others scattered all around and we question IF there can ever be anything good that comes of it. Can there truly be beauty from brokenness?

In the past eleven years I have been on a physical journey. It has not been a pleasant one...and in no way have I suffered in the capacity of some of you out there. My body has been wracked with pain and swelling due to disease and to top that off, I just happened to have already been overweight for years; trying one diet after another...and because of decreasing mobility and steroids...I regained all that I ever lost and then some...not to mention the struggle with painful flare-ups on my face...impossible to hide.

But God has shown me that sometime he allows us to become broken.

There was a man named Samuel Logan Brengle who was over the Salvation Army many years ago. One time he faced a lengthy hospital stay due to someone who threw bricks: hitting him in the head. It was during such a time that he wrote some of his greatest works...and God spoke to him, right there within the realm of his brokenness and said..."Samuel, no bricks...no books!"

Reflecting on my life...I know that if I had not been broken...there would not have been the compassion that I have for those who are struggling in so many areas with pain.
There would not have been times ministering to the abused, praying with broken parents, holding broken children, loving broken people or writing about brokenness.

The Bible says,

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thes. 5:18 No bricks, no books? No brokenness.......No Blogs!