Series: Broken in the Right Places – City Church of Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN

Today we continue our study on brokenness. We have defined brokenness as the process by which God brings us to the end of ourselves and into total love, trust and submission to him.
We will focus our thoughts on a time of brokenness in Paul’s life that is presented in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10…
To keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep be from getting proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work thought me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses…for when I am weak, then I am strong.

God never abandons his children.
2 Corinthians 4:8-10, We are hard pressed on side but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our body.
God promises to never forsake you.
Hebrews 13:5, Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.
Brokenness is not a sign of God’s abandonment, but of God’s activity.
Hebrews 12:5-11, Don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It is the child he loves that he disciplines…God is educating you…He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble isn’t punishment; it’s training…

Paul’s descent into greatness. Galatians: 48 A.D. 1 and 2 Corinthians: 56-57 A.D. 1 Timothy: 64 A.D.
Brokenness is painful. Thorn … Messenger of Satan … torment It is not meaningless pain.
Brokenness is purposeful. God is not random and haphazard in his work. Ephesians 1:11, God works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.
What was God’s purpose in Paul’s life? Brokenness is productive when met with an open spirit.

An open spirit is one that does not turn away from God. In your pain, stay in God’s face. It means to embrace God’s discipline with an open spirit as Paul did.

Job 42:1-6, I am convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans…I babbled on about things far beyond me…I admit I once lived on rumors of you; now I have it all first hand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crust of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.