You may be in a season of your life right now where the world is at peace and you are blessed. I rejoice with you and thank God for this blessed season. But either you have already experienced a dark night of faith or you will one of these days. No matter what the vast majority of Christians will have a trial which shakes their faith to the core.
It's almost the biggest shock to a Christian's life when trials come but the Bible tells us they are coming.
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12 NLT)
So why are we surprised? What makes us think that we are so special? Why do we think that when we pray the salvation prayer we just stand up and have a winning ticket to an easy life? Even Job's friend asked him what he had done to sin against God. They didn't realize that the trial Job was in was for God's glory. That's the key, there are two reasons for trials and ultimately really only one. Firstly, to teach us, grow us and mold us which ultimately leads to reason number two, God being glorified.
There are two scriptures that refer to the brusied reed:
A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. (Isaiah 42:3 NKJV)
A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; (Matthew 12:20 NKJV)
Isaiah spoke about it in the prophecy of The Messiah and then Jesus himself quoted Isaiah. This happened after he healed a man in the Temple on the Sabbath and the Priests decided to start plotting against him.
The Hebrew word for bruised is 'ratsats' which means to crack in pieces, lit. or fig. - break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together. I don't know about you but I can pretty much tick each of those boxes right now.
What is very interesting is this same word 'ratsats' is found in verse 4 of Isaiah 42 but the NKJV has translated the word as discouraged. But this time it's talking about the coming Messiah Jesus.
He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.” (Isaiah 42:4 NKJV)
I was so excited when I read this. I might be bruised and discouraged but my Saviour will not be bruised or discouraged in the goal He has. There is so much comfort to be found in that. If we are to be like Christ then even in our discouragement we need to stand firm till we see the Kingdom's work complete. And if He won't fail or be discouraged then can't we just rest in His promises?
To me a bruised reed is like the sea oats I see on the beach. They are so beautiful along the beach. But as beautiful as that beach is sometimes it's not a nice place to be. The winds can be so strong and harsh against this delicate reed. No matter how strong the reed stands it just takes a bad storm and constant bending against that wind to snap it. Or a careless hand or foot damaging it without thought.
So many of us are like those sea oats we have stood proud in the sun and then the storm came. At first the wind was ok but then it built and built and we were bent every way until one day we felt that painful snap in our hearts. That moment where we cried God I can't do this anymore.
In Greek the word for bruised is 'suntribo' which means to crush completely, ie to shatter (lit. or fig.) - break (in pieces), broken to shivers, bruise. Some of us feel like we have been broken to shivers when those hurricanes hit.
In John we see the word 'suntribo' used in reference to Christ's death and the fulfillment of prophecy with the translation 'broken'.
For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” (John 19:36 NKJV)
Like with the Hebrew word again it is in reference to Christ and how he will NOT be broken or bruised. In our earthly fallen imperfect states we live in a condition where we are brusied, broken and discouraged but if we are to 'put on Christ' and be like Him then he CAN'T be broken and he WON'T be discouraged.
I have often wondered what it means when people say living life in victory and maybe this is what it means. It means even though we feel like a bruised reed on the verge of breaking the God we serve won't let us break. It's not an option.
When sin entered into creation a plan was put in motion to reconcile God to his creation. The Bible is not only the history of how we got here but the prophecy and the history of what has yet to come. Have you read the last part? God wins!!!! His creation is restored to Him and we are no longer separated from Him. Sin will be GONE.
The pain your heart feels today, the anger, the hurt, the brokenness, the discouragement, the frustration, the anxiety, the oppression... it will all be gone.
And yes I know that all sounds wonderful but right now you are in the pit of hell covered in the filth and stench of this world and all its evilness against you and all you can find is the above emotions. And yes that beautiful new earth sounds wonderful but right now you are stuck in the garbage dump that is this world, so really that doesn't solve the endless list of worries and problems. Trust me I understand. But please stop for a minute. Breathe in deep and remember if you are a child of God bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ this is only temporary.
You always hear of soldiers in war zones thick in the trenches carry photos of their loved ones back home. For those times they need to remember what they are fighting for and that this isn't normal life. Hell wants you to believe that right now is normal and all there is. Put read Revelation 21 and 22. Build a mental postcard of what John describes but remember anything you can imagine will be no where close to how amazing and beautiful the reality will be. Now put that postcard in your pocket and pick up your weapon and keep fighting. Next time you get overwhelmed by the battle take the postcard out and remember what you are fighting for. Jesus was not bruised or broken or discouraged on the cross because He knew what He was fighting for.
So yes we might feel bruised but He won't let us break. The only way we break is if we let go of Him. So I'm putting my postcard in my pocket, I'm lifting up my sword of the Spirit and taking my Jesus' hand. Many have fought for less but we fight for the Glory of God!
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