Sunday, November 7, 2010

Strong in the Broken Places

This is an excerpt from the Girlfriends in God devotional from awhile back…

By Mary Southerland

“I find it interesting that all through life, the greatest strength is forged in broken places.

God is not committed to our comfort. God is committed to creating His character within us.

Suffering comes in many ways, but always with the purpose of making us strong enough to endure pain and weak enough to rely upon God.

Hope follows pain because pain forces us to trust God and rely upon His power to mend a broken life. It is in that abandonment to God that we find hope.  "We know that these troubles produce patience.  And patience produces character, and character produces hope." (Romans 5:3-4

Difficult [times] and the brokenness they bring can make us either bitter or better. It is our choice. We can insist on comfort and forfeit character or we can embrace the brokenness, knowing that God will use it for our good.”

 

Enough said. 

10 comments:

  1. thank you for posting this, Lisa, i needed it tonight. may we all embrace the brokeness, knowing that God WILL use it for our good!!

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  2. BEAUTIFUL!!! Making us bitter or better... I love it! I was reminded last week that how you go through life is how you make it. You choose to be happy or sad. I choose God, I choose joy, I choose to take this trial and become BETTER for it! Lisa, I love you beyond compare and thank God every day for you!

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  3. Such a great reminder! Thanks Lisa!

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  4. Thanks Lisa. I vote for better NOT bitter!

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  5. AMEN! Thank you so much for sharing this, it was said so perfectly- I am printing it off! haha:)

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  6. Awesome! I really needed that reminder Lisa! Thank you so much for sharing.

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  7. That is really good stuff. I am seeing God make you better through this. Praying for you friend.

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  8. Thanks for the good words. I am thinking of you and praying good thoughts!!!

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