Thank you God for the Broken Road!
THE SCARS OF LIFE
Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy
decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a
hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving
behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not
realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was
swimming toward the shore.His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him.From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the
alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between
the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father
was much too passionate to let go.
A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck,
took aim and shot the alligator.Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father’s fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.
The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if
he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with
obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn’t let go."
- Author unknown.
God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another person’s scars, because you don’t know how they got them.
Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them,
too - enough to not let them go.
I believe God does all things with a purpose. Every time God meets us here it is for a reason. I believe there is one of God’s children here today who is struggling with something that seems to be winning. If I am talking to you then God has a message for you!
Sometimes life’s problems seem so much bigger than we are. We sometimes feel like a squirrel fighting a lion.
In my intimate times with God,… He has revealed to me that, it is in these hard and trying times, that we are taught the lessons in life that we come to appreciate the most.
If it weren’t for the broken road I had to go down I wouldn’t be where I am today.
- Drug addiction led me to crime.
- Crime led me to jail.
- Jail led me to a discipleship program.
- The discipleship program led me to Christ.
- Christ led me to church.
- I found the three things that I have come to love most in my life on that road.
- My Jesus,.. My Wife,… And my ministry.
Another lesson that God has taught me, now that I am embracing the broken road is,..
It don’t matter where you are on the time line of your life, when you surrender your will to God,… for Him to use you past struggles to prepare you for the man / woman He has purposed for you to become.
- Why?... because God’s plan for your life is not subject to a time line,
- You can be 66 years old and surrender your life. And God can turn your past stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
- You just have to change your perspective of your past.
- Begin to view your past struggles as God’s way of equipping you for the future He has for you.
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Here are two purposes God has for our struggles...
o To prepare and equip us.
- We are always tested before we are trusted.
o Avenue for God to reveal Himself.
- God is constantly looking for ways to express His character to us.
o To teach us about appreciation.
- The most appreciated goals in our lives are the ones we have worked hard and struggled to obtain.
o Turn in your bibles to psalm 73. ( story about Asaph)
I want to give you four ways to succeed through struggles...
1.) Stay focused on your struggles. V. 2-12
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity, the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.11 They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" 12 This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in
wealth.
o (example) They put blinders on horses to keep their eyes forward.
- The bible teaches us to press forward!
- Thomas Edison failed over two thousand times before he had successfully created the light bulb.
- He did not let that discourage him he simply said;
- “ I discovered over two thousand ways how NOT to make a light bulb.”
- If we are not focused on what is going on in front of us we are bound to encounter some unseen obstacles.
- When we focus solely on negatives we find our self pulled in that direction.
2.) Maintain your integrity. V. 13
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
- (example) John’s story / in confidence.
- He was in a financial struggle.
- Had the opportunity to make away with a large amount of cash undetected.
- He chose to maintain his integrity. / even if his integrity incriminated him.
- “ I would rather be in chains on the outside and be free on the inside than the other way around”
- Integrity is standing for what is right, before what is easy.
3.) Remember God’s faithfulness. V.-17
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
- (example) The second time bungee jumping was easier than the first.
- With each victory God brings us, it should instill confidence in us for future battles.
- The definition for insanity; doing the same thing the same way, and expecting a different result.
- God is not a sell-out!
- He will be as he has always been!
- David remembered God’s faithfulness over his fears.
4.) Speak truth to yourself. V. 22- 25
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
- Sometimes even when we don’t feel like it , we are encouraged by speaking truth to our self.
- Asaph in verse 25, as if to say; what am I thinking, Whom have I in heaven but you?
- Sometimes hearing the truth is just as important as knowing it.
- Speak God’s truths to your struggles.
5.) Allow the struggle to draw you near to God. V. 27 – 28
27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
- A mistake is only a mistake if we don’t learn from it.
- Allow stumbling blocks to become stepping stones.
- Don’t fall back, fall forward.
- You grow in wisdom when you allow mistakes to become lessons.
6.) Embrace the truth of the matter.
- God is still present.
- God is still God.
- You are still His Child.
- He designed your life, with great purpose.
- And it takes the Broken road to prepare you for the destination!
