If you're a Child of God, you are more than likely familiar with brokenness; for it is one of God's choice tools. But brokenness is probably one the most misunderstood principles in God's Word. Many times Christians mistakenly identify or equate the brokenness of one of their brothers and sisters "in Christ" with sin and falsely conclude that the person is "getting what is due them", you know- punishment for sin. That's not always the case though.
Consider if you will our brother Job. The Bible tells us that Job was "blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil" (Job 1:1 NAS). God had blessed Job with a large family and with lots of things. And then "IT" happened. Probably no man had lost so much, so quickly as did Job. Yet scripture says that "through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God (Jb.1:22 NAS).
Consider the life and times of the apostle Paul; think about all the circumstances the befell him. He was shipwrecked, robbed, flogged numerous times, beaten "times without number" close to death, beaten with rods 3 times(can you even imagine that),stoned(with stones not drugs), etc. But Paul didn't consider his personal circumstances as punishment for sin, but asserted that what happened to him to be directly connected to his service for Christ.(2nd Cor. 1:5)
God knows "just the right buttons to push" to bring us to the end of ourselves and to keep us headed in the right direction. God allows circumstances to occur in our lives to the point that we feel totally overwhelmed by them, breaking our wills and causing us to "cry out to God" for help, deliverance and guidance.
Perhaps you or someone you know is going through a season of testing or trials right now. It's easy to get discouraged but don't. Just keep remembering that God is ultimately in control. If we are serving Him, nothing we may encounter comes to us without Him allowing it. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
If we desired to be used by God, we have to allow brokenness to do its purifying work in our lives.
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