Broken

I recently started reading The release of the Spirit by Watchman Nee. I am loving it already! God can really give people the words to show His spirit and heart and just speak the truth in love. I have learned over and over that in order to follow Christ we need to REMAIN broken not just be broken and then go back to our old ways. God desires for us to be broken and He does things to break us or He allows certain events to happen to break us and make us stronger in Him. He tells us frequently that we will go through trials. We are not going to have a perfect life. Part of the reason that we won't have a perfect life is because our perfect life is different from Gods. Our perfect life may seem like all good things like getting married, having kids or getting a certain job but that may not be what God has planned. He knows His plans and will make sure those things happens. He wants to bless us but He also only wants us to worship Him. Being broken allows us to acknowledge our weak self and lack of control. We can plan things and those plans can get changed and it can drive us crazy, but it shouldn't, that is us just trying to remain in control and think that ultimately we plan our lives when we don't. God plans them and He can make whatever change He wants. If it breaks or humbles us that's awesome! It's all for the glory of God. It will strengthen our walk with Him! God allows His spirit to unite with ours and we need to accept that and take it in and not just want the blessings but accept the hard parts too. There is a song that goes brokenness brokenness is what I long for. It is called take my life. We want to long to have our old self he broken and all about God! 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18 NIV). 

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (Psalm 51:17 NIV). 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3 NIV). 

For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15 NIV). 

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:6 NIV). 

We have to remember to put God first and change our lives to Him. And He will change us. We have to allow Him to work in us and our spirit to be open to Him. We may be made to want something else but ultimately we need to want what God wants and just give Him control!!! So many people want God to lead them and don't understand why He isn't giving them "signs" but are we really submitting to Him and being patient and allowing the trials to shape our lives or just getting upset about having to deal with things? We need to let the trials work through our hearts. It is NOT always fun to have God work on us and in us but it is soooo important! He has to work in us! We will have trials but they will truly make us stronger and help us and we should draw nearer to God. 

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NIV). 

We may think trials seem evil sometimes but God will use them. He isn't evil! We need to accept His path and His control. We can't keep trying to control our lives when we aren't meant to and don't know how to. 

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12, 13 NIV).