How many of you guys have heard the song “Till I Shatter” by a group called O.A.R.? One of the lyrics of that song says, “How many times will I break till I shatter?” I’m not sure why, but I really love that line. I suppose it inspires a feeling in me that I have been able to identify with many times in my life. I know there have been many times in the course of my life where I’ve felt like, “I’ve been broken again, how many more times can I go through something like this?” There have even been times where I’ve thought that I was already completely broken, shattered if you will, and felt as though there was no hope.

One day while I was at work this song came on and a guy I was working with made the comment, “I hate this song, breaking is the same thing as being shattered.” I quickly had to correct him. I explained that if something is broken, it can still be repaired. If something is shattered, it is destroyed, and it cannot be fixed.

As I thought about it, this reminded me very much of how God deals with His children. He allows us to be broken, but we will never shatter, he will never destroy us. There may be times where we think we have been destroyed, but that is never the case. People like to paint a rosy picture of the Christian walk, filled with endless blessings, and nothing but good times. There are good times, certainly. There are endless blessings. But there are also, many, many times that we will suffer. Do yourself a favor sometime, go to the back of your bible and look up the words “suffer, suffered, and suffering(s).

Sufferings are going to happen, that is why I am so thankful that I have a glorious promise in the Bible, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in Spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”(Psalm 34:18-19) Look at what the Apostle Paul says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…”(2 Corinthians 4:8-9,16-17)

What are these passages of Scripture telling us? These passages are telling us that God’s people will suffer. Even more than that, they are telling us that it is these very sufferings, and trials that are preparing us for a greater glory. Many times it is these very sufferings that draws us closer to Him, and strengthens our faith (See Romans 5:3). Paul also says in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Again, that goes back to 2 Corinthians 4:17, all that we do suffer in this life, doesn’t measure up, doesn’t even compare, to the glory that we will have in our next. What an awesome truth.The sufferings we experience in this life, are preparing us for something much greater in the next. See again what Paul said in 2 Corinthians, “For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…”

Remember, if you are feeling broken, God can and will put you back together, if you will seek Him, if you ask Him. Granted, that might not happen in this life, but if that is the case, take heart because the next is much more glorious than you can imagine. This life doesn’t even compare. If you are His child, He promises you this. Take heart when you are going through these trials. It is during these times that God is preparing you for something much greater.

So the answer to my question, “How many times can I break?” As many times as I need to. I can always have confidence that I won’t shatter…So can you.

Blessings…