Brokenness: The Protest – Part 1
Dr. Charles Stanley emphasizes that God’s ultimate goal is the spiritual maturation of the believer. Achieving this maturity often requires going through pain and trials. This intensive process, often referred to as “brokenness,” is necessary because God targets the specific areas in our lives that are hindering His intended purpose.
God’s Breaking Process: Targeting Your Resistance
God does not leave spiritual growth to chance; He actively orchestrates or allows circumstances to apply specific pressure.
How God Works:
- Targeting: God identifies the area in your life that prevents Him from achieving His desired will.
- Pressure Application: He arranges or permits circumstances to be arranged so that pressure is felt.
- Choosing Tools: God selects the specific tools He will use. These tools might include financial setbacks, relationships (such as spouses, children, or friends), employers, or even enemies.
- Controlling Variables: God governs and controls both how much pressure is placed upon you and the duration of the time the pressure is applied. God is acting out of care, looking out for what is best for us.
The Protest: Why Believers Resist God’s Will
Despite God’s loving intention, individuals often resist this breaking process. This resistance stems from ingrained characteristics and a failure to perceive God’s sovereignty.
Key Reasons for Resistance:
- Strong Will and Self-Determination: Resistance is often rooted in a strong personality, forceful will, pride, and rebellion. Individuals may be emotionally or mentally strong, enabling them to endure criticism, rejection, or manipulation, allowing them to “weasle their way out” of God’s intended pressure.
- Drawing Boundaries: Many people intentionally set limits on their commitment, drawing a figurative line or circle, stating, “This is as committed as I’m going to be, but not beyond that”. They refuse to allow God into the areas they want to control.
- Failure to See God’s Hand: When pressure arises—whether from a relationship (spouse, parent, friend) or a circumstance—we often blame people or the situation instead of acknowledging that God is behind my circumstances. Instead of submission, we immediately create our own avenues of escape.
- Unhealthy Self-Love: This includes an unscriptural, self-centered, and self-seeking view of oneself, summarized as a prideful insistence on “my way, when I want to do it, where I want to do it,” regardless of whether it hurts others. This resistance places a “bullseye right across your heart” that God intends to break to bring about submission.
Running from God or resisting Him means one is also running, rebelling, and rationalizing their behavior.