For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

~Romans 8:18 ESV

BREAKING SHEETROCK

When we remodeled our home, I learned a spiritual lesson. I must surrender to the breaking.

“So how do we cut this stuff anyway?” I asked my husband.

He handed me a razor knife. “That part is easy. You score it with the razor knife, bend that chunk backward, and run the blade down the edge one more time.”

Confident I could handle the measuring and cutting, I grabbed the T-square and measured the sheetrock. But when it came to the bend the chunk backward part, it wasn’t as easy by myself as I thought it’d be.

Sometimes, the piece that needed to come off required lifting the whole twelve-foot sheet, balancing it exactly right, and then somehow pushing the chunk backward and cutting it off, all while holding the heavy board and not letting it fall.

Another problem arose quickly. My hand wasn’t steady in my cuts, and when I pushed the big chunks backward and sliced them off, I left broken hunks on the edge of the board in a wavy pattern. When we set the sheetrock next to another piece on the wall, it wasn’t flush. We had to do more cutting and neatening to that broken edge. I found myself picking the board up, yet again, inspecting it closely, and scraping my razor knife down the edge–trying to create a smooth surface.

IT’S IN OUR BREAKING

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

~James 1:2-4 ESV

And just like the sheet rock, the breaking exposes our personal rough edges. Often, we get hints from God of areas that need extra attention. Maybe we submit, but more often, we ignore the promptings. Who has time to deal with that little stuff anyway?

But then God takes out His razor knife and scores His line on our hearts. He breaks a big, obvious chunk and pushes it backward. And oh, how the breaking hurts. As God tries to balance us, we often resist. The bending and breaking of our souls proves difficult.

Finally, after much resistance, we stop fighting and let God cut off the unnecessary pieces–unforgiveness, anger, control, stubbornness, pride–leaving the broken chunks down the edge of our hearts exposed. Emotions we have ignored suddenly rise to the surface. We feel the fears and worries that have lain dormant. Tears that we have resisted rise to the top.

SURRENDER TO THE BREAKING

It’s in the breaking and then the cutting that we can see the areas that need work and surrender. No one ever asks for the hard times. We don’t jump for joy as we try to navigate an unfamiliar world that is suddenly our reality. We don’t ask for the breaking, but it’s necessary for us to be shaped into the masterpiece that God wants. With all those rough edges exposed and cleaned up, God can heal us and make us more whole than we’ve ever been.

We learn of God’s faithfulness in the breaking. It’s in the breaking that we learn to let Him have control. God refines us and smooths our edges so that we can be ready to hang on the wall of His kingdom—a perfect fit for where He sends us next. In the breaking, we see God’s greatest miracles.

 

What lessons can you learn from your seasons of breaking?

Father God, the tough times are scary, and often I want to run away instead of hitting them head-on. These trials are where I learn to lean on You and trust You the most. Show me that it’s for Your glory and my gain. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2023: Surrender to the Breaking: Christy Bass Adams: All Rights Reserved