‘If we look at a beautiful sunrise, we decide God is good; if we look at a hurricane, we decide God is cruel’ – Matthew Slick
Recently I was truly inspired this book review by K Carrie on Lon Solomon’s ‘Brokenness-How God redeems pain and suffering’.
While in college, Lon Solomon made a relentless search for meaning and purpose. He sought to fill the void he felt on partying, gambling and developed a serious drinking problem. He also became deeply involved in drugs, both as a user and an infamous campus drug dealer. When all this failed to resolve his inner turmoil, he decided that suicide was the only way out. It was at this time that he met a street evangelist who began to talk to him about Christ. Lon sees his life as a marvellous example of God’s transforming power in action. He was able to quit the drug and alcohol abuse that had plagued his life for years.
The author demonstrates how God sometimes chooses to ‘break’ us in order to use us. He likens our “self” to the hard shell of a seed. Just as the shell of a seed must be broken in order for the plan to sprout, our ‘self’ must be broken in order for God’s power to flow through us to others. Lon speaks from his personal experience. He and his wife have spent the last twelve years caring for their severely disabled daughter, Jill. They will spend the rest of their lives doing so, unless God chooses to miraculously heal her. Through this process of being broken, God has transformed him into a man He can use.
Lon often wondered what decision he would have made if God offered him a choice at the time his daughter was born: perfect heath for Jill or brokenness for him. Now in the light of what God has done in his life, his family, and his ministry through his daughter’s illness, he honestly knows the right choice would be to say: “God, You make no mistakes. Let it happen just like You chose the first time. The products were worth the process.” He knows that being weak in flesh, just like everyone, if God gave him the chance, he would make the wrong choice. He would have chose his daughter’s perfect health and his service to God would be a mere shadow of what it has become now.
It is very easy for someone to pose this kind of question: Is it fair that Lon's daughter has to live a life of suffering so that he can be a great servant for the work of God? Lon offered his answer: “Jill doesn’t know she’s disabled. She’s content, happy, and knows that Brenda and I love her deeply. She understands that her brothers, her care givers, and hundreds of people who know her love her too. Jill’s every need is met and she wants for nothing. Were Jill able to speak, she would tell us that she doesn’t feel the unfairness about her life that we judge to be there. More importantly, I believe Jill’s illness is not an accident or a random act of fate but God’s perfect plan for her life and mine. And I believe God has a great reward awaiting Jill in heaven because she was willing to live the life He chose for her so His purposes could be realized on earth. In heaven, not only will Jill be healed and whole for all eternity, but she will enjoy heavenly reward, and those of us who served her on earth are going to be really glad we did when we get to heaven.”
This book challenges us to ask this question: “Am I willing to let God break me in order for Him to use me?” This is not only a difficult question to answer but also a terrifying question. I must say that most of us are not quite there yet.
Recently I was truly inspired this book review by K Carrie on Lon Solomon’s ‘Brokenness-How God redeems pain and suffering’.
While in college, Lon Solomon made a relentless search for meaning and purpose. He sought to fill the void he felt on partying, gambling and developed a serious drinking problem. He also became deeply involved in drugs, both as a user and an infamous campus drug dealer. When all this failed to resolve his inner turmoil, he decided that suicide was the only way out. It was at this time that he met a street evangelist who began to talk to him about Christ. Lon sees his life as a marvellous example of God’s transforming power in action. He was able to quit the drug and alcohol abuse that had plagued his life for years.
The author demonstrates how God sometimes chooses to ‘break’ us in order to use us. He likens our “self” to the hard shell of a seed. Just as the shell of a seed must be broken in order for the plan to sprout, our ‘self’ must be broken in order for God’s power to flow through us to others. Lon speaks from his personal experience. He and his wife have spent the last twelve years caring for their severely disabled daughter, Jill. They will spend the rest of their lives doing so, unless God chooses to miraculously heal her. Through this process of being broken, God has transformed him into a man He can use.
Lon often wondered what decision he would have made if God offered him a choice at the time his daughter was born: perfect heath for Jill or brokenness for him. Now in the light of what God has done in his life, his family, and his ministry through his daughter’s illness, he honestly knows the right choice would be to say: “God, You make no mistakes. Let it happen just like You chose the first time. The products were worth the process.” He knows that being weak in flesh, just like everyone, if God gave him the chance, he would make the wrong choice. He would have chose his daughter’s perfect health and his service to God would be a mere shadow of what it has become now.
It is very easy for someone to pose this kind of question: Is it fair that Lon's daughter has to live a life of suffering so that he can be a great servant for the work of God? Lon offered his answer: “Jill doesn’t know she’s disabled. She’s content, happy, and knows that Brenda and I love her deeply. She understands that her brothers, her care givers, and hundreds of people who know her love her too. Jill’s every need is met and she wants for nothing. Were Jill able to speak, she would tell us that she doesn’t feel the unfairness about her life that we judge to be there. More importantly, I believe Jill’s illness is not an accident or a random act of fate but God’s perfect plan for her life and mine. And I believe God has a great reward awaiting Jill in heaven because she was willing to live the life He chose for her so His purposes could be realized on earth. In heaven, not only will Jill be healed and whole for all eternity, but she will enjoy heavenly reward, and those of us who served her on earth are going to be really glad we did when we get to heaven.”
This book challenges us to ask this question: “Am I willing to let God break me in order for Him to use me?” This is not only a difficult question to answer but also a terrifying question. I must say that most of us are not quite there yet.
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