Job 22:16 says, "they were snatched away in the prime of life, the foundations of their lives washed away". (NLT)(1)
When my life collapsed, I felt a like like Job said my life as I had known it was completely washed away. To begin rebuilding my life, I had to clear away the debris left behind and examine what was beneath it all to ensure I was building on solid ground and not sinking sand as Christ said in Luke 6:46-49? Its silly, but this parable always made me think of the fable of the three little pigs. One built his house from straw which would be blown away by the slightest breeze. The second pig built his house from sticks which was also no match for the forces coming against it and quickly collapsed. But the third pig, he diligently built a house that would withstand the attacks of his enemy. He had to work harder, and it took more time than it took the first two pigs to build their homes. His home was able to endure and stand strong long after his enemy had given up the fight.
1 Corinthians 3:13 says that the quality of a man’s work will be shown for what it truly is as it will be tested by fire. Only the things of God built on the foundation of His Word will last.
In the natural, when you have foundational issues in your home, it causes the whole structure to move out of alignment. It shifts out of place. Sometimes certain areas of the structure will begin to sink under its own weight because the foundation can no longer provide the support it needs. Cracks will begin to show in the walls and the floors. Segments of the floor may suddenly push up against other areas of your home instead of standing firmly in place. Dampness and unwanted guests will seep in through cracks and crevices created by the shifting of the structure. Pressure is being applied to areas that should not be pressed (such as pipes and wiring that keeps things flowing as it should). Fixtures begin to separate from the walls
Before I could begin building my new life, I had to determine what type of foundation I was building on. I had to examine the ground of my heart and see if there were some stony places that need to be cleared away. If I had began to build my new life on top of the rubble of the past or with the broken pieces of my former life, it would have been like building on shifting sand which would cause my life to shift in the wrong direction once again. My new life would not be the straight and solid new structure God meant to be built. Instead it would have been crooked from the beginning.
I had to invite God into the middle of my mess and surrender it all to Him. I repeated the words of King David asking God to search me and know my heart (Psalm 139:23-24) and create a new heart in me (Psalm 51:10). God met me in my broken places and helped me sift through the fragments and broken remains of my old life. I had to let go of the fragments and broken pieces of my old life that I really didn't want to let go of. He was oh so gentle and merciful, never forcing me to do anything but gently encouraging me to give it over to Him. He never will take anything from you without your permission. You must willingly surrender it to Him.
The process was more painful than I could ever bear on my own. But I was never alone. God never left my side and He held me when the pain was too overwhelming for me to go any further. He captured my tears in his bottle and He comforted me. God promises us an abundant life, but sometimes we have to willingly go under construction to reach the life He has promised to us.
Have you examined your foundation lately? Have there been warning signs that your foundation has began to crack and shift under the weight you are carrying that you were never meant to carry? Are there some things from your old life that needs to be cleared away so you can be fully restored?
Isaiah 54:11 (NKJV) – “O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires”. (2)
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