Does God Make Your Life Difficult?

Isn't life just hard to deal with sometimes?

We have all experienced difficulties in the past and some of us right now here today have issues we are dealing with. Its easy to place the blame on the devil, "the enemy," life, your neighbors, etc. But you need to consider that the source of your trouble(s) today will be God doing His work in you. In "working" us God often strips us in the following areas: marriage, ministry, relationships and finances. Often more than one area at once is in "trouble."

So why does God test us? We like to think of our "purpose," our "calling" or "ministry" to be like those called into the fivefold ministry. The apostle, the prophet, the evangelist, the pastor, and the teacher. The truth is, every believer has been called of God to be a minister. A minister is not necessarily someone who stands behind a pulpit, graduated from seminary school or has an official title. All believers are called to be ministers of His word. Each and every saint is a king and a priest unto God. We are an "army." And God's army is composed of hurting, wounded, bleeding and healed people. God doesn't need an untested army. He doesn't need soft and frail soldiers. What God requires are men and women who are composed of hardened steel. He is fitting your with your armor! God uses your past as a rehearsal for your future. It is better that you trip in the sand in your wilderness, that fall in front of men! This is why God puts you through circumstances.

He will not place a burden you cannot bear upon your shoulders. We are being cleansed by fire. And yes it hurts. Understanding why your undergoing a trail can be difficult. If your not comprehending what is happening I suggest reading Dr. Mark Hanby's book "Perceiving The Wheel of God." It's fantasic reading and insight in what God is doing to you. God Himself is the architect of your circumstances. How many times have we asked Him to "do Your will" with us? How many times have we talked about Him taking us "out of our comfort zones?" And suddenly here you are.., out of your comfort zone and finding yourself in trouble! Asking God to "help us do His will" is an invitation for your life to be altered beyond your comprehension.

Dr Hanby describes the process God uses as the "order of breaking bread" In this process, He takes us, He blesses us, He breaks us, after healing us, He then gives (releases) us. Moses went through this process, David went through this process, Job went through this process, Hosea went through this process, Jacob went through this process, Ruth went through this process. The list goes on & on of every man and woman who has a story in the Bible who has undergone an order (process) that gave them the power of greatness. Every hero in the bible was taken from someplace, then blessed, then they lost it all, and at the end released (given) out to the people. They didn't become what they were by skipping over things or by taking shortcuts.Your current and or past trouble is a refining fire that is taking you into greatness.

This process is described in Luke 24:25-31.

Then he said to them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it,and broke, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

The Order of Breaking Bread. Moses, Its about being "taken," "blessed," "broken," and then "given."

Let's take a deeper look at what being 'broken" means. Why we must be broken.

1. Brokenness releases the treasure:

In one who is unbroken, the gospel is blocked and cant flow out. If you have an unbroken heart, your spirit is unable to function, or it come forth mixed with your own thoughts and emotions. Brokenness is a weapon. If I am broken something within me can get outside of me and touch someone else. When my spiritual life touches their spiritual death, they're awakened. Spirit doesn’t touch spirit if your not broken.

2. Brokenness brings revelation:

The more broken you are, the more sensitive you are. Our effectiveness is closely related to our discernment of peoples spiritual conditions. When I’m not broken, I’m full of distracting preoccupations. Brokenness is a state of the heart. Whenever we preserve and make excuses for ourselves, we are deprived of spiritual sensitivity and supply. Brokenness -- it tears down walls and releases pure spirit.

3. Brokenness attracts the lost:

The sound that attracts Heaven is the sound of a breaking heart. Its a cry of brokenness, abandonment, and total submission. The open door to having Gods presence is preceded by lamenting, mourning and weeping. Mourning produces a dynamic necessity to be receptive to what God reveals and a receptacle of what God releases. Brokenness pulls the trigger on releasing what God has invested in us.

It's about spirit touching spirit. Its not merely about giving or reciveing "head" knowledge (understanding) in hopes of undertsanding or reaching out to other. When your spirit touches another spirit, God awakens that spirit that has darkness in it

So why then are we undergoing a trial? In reading your bible, you'll see that God always tests and chastens his people (past and present.) Noah had 40 days and 40 nights of trial, The Israelites wandered the wilderness for 40 years. Did you know that the number forty (40) means "trial, probation, and testing." I hope you don't experience 40 years of trial or testing. I know I don't want to. At some point you will face a trial if you havent already done so. Some of us will even go through several trials in our lifetime. The greater your call, the greater your trials(s)

Check out Luke 3:16-17:

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.

Steel is hardened by heat. He has you in the furnace. To recieve anointing, sacrifice must come before it. If you cant bear the cross, you cannot wear the crown.

I like what Peter wrote 1 Peter 5:10

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have SUFFERED a while, PERFECT, ESTABLISH, STRENGTHEN, and SETTLE you.

God is going to put you and I in a trial for a while (this means temporary), in which we will be perfected (He will mend you, heal you and make you whole), established (He will make our way stable, despite the instability around us)), strengthened (He will give us the ability to succeed in all we do for Him) and then settled (He will build for us a rock solid foundation that will make us steadfast and immovable). Do not worry in your trial, that you don't hear from God. He is there. Matter of fact in your trial, you will be walking in His footsteps. The important thing to remember, is that it is a test, and during a test, there is no talking. Does that make sense?

Its summed up best in Ephesians 3:15 where it is written:

Therefore I ask, that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

And another scripture to keep you motivated is Isaiah 54:17

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement, you shall condem. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. and their rightousness is from me says the Lord ......

I personally find that scripture very reassuring. Nothing, I mean NOTHING will stop you from your glory,

You suffer through your trial not only for yourself, but for others. God is putting you through a trial for anothers benefit. God will hold you up so that someone else can see His glory at work.

Whatever the cost to us, God is an awesome God and when you are ready for Him to give you out to the people, watch out. Greatness will be loosed upon the people....

References

Perceiving the Wheel of God: By Dr Mark Hanby: ISBN 1-56043-109-1

Nelson Study Bible, New King James Version

New American Standard Bible, Updated Version

American Standard Bible, 1901 Version

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible: ISBN 0-917006-01-1