Breaking the Cycle of Setback

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Rom. 3:10-12)  The Bible says that there is none righteous – no, not one. That is why people live in sin and are under oppression and bondage. In the book of Judges, a pattern existed where as the people lived in oppression, they cried unto the Lord and repented and God would heal and bless them. However, the cycle continued and once they were free and blessed, they had the tendency to forget God and live in sin again. Generations have come and generations have gone, however, this cycle is obviously still seen in our lives today. It’s as if there are activities that are set into motion that becomes cycles of events that cut you off just when you are about to break through. We cannot separate breakthrough from brokenness. Let’s begin with repentance (changing our way of thinking). God’s perspective is different with ours. What is highly valued in this world is detestable in the Kingdom. God doesn’t want you to be smarter, better or stronger. He wants you broken. Isaiah 57:15, “For this is what the high and lofty One says – He who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”  True success has nothing to do with your accomplishments. It has everything to do with your heart’s condition — who you are in secret before the Lord. God uses our brokenness, vulnerability, and humility to promote us. I am not talking about singing humility or brokenness songs — we need to experience it. God is saying, “I am not looking for a flawless performance, I am looking for brokenness. I am going to even use the repeated failures in your life to show you how much you need Me. I am not going to beat you, I am going Read more