“Some [obstacles] seem like unscalable mountains, and it’s awfully tempting to go around them. My advice? Go through them, with God’s grace. And when God gets you to the other side, the mountain will have become a level path. The obstacle will have become the way.”- Mark Batterson
Mark Batterson concludes Chapter 7 of Double Blessing as he stresses that spotting blessings in disguise results when we position ourselves for blessings. Consequently, where others see obstacles, we see blessings.
Above all, Pastor Batterson counsels, cursing those who cause pain only serves to compound the problem. For example, Joseph’s posture of blessing helped reconcile him with his brothers. In addition, God used the circumstances and tremendous suffering Joseph endured through enslavement and imprisonment to position him in Pharaoh’s administration. As a result, two nations avoided famine.
Hence, Mark states, God wants to turn you into a symbol and source of blessing:
“God wants to turn you into a symbol of blessing, but that isn’t the ultimate goal, If we turn the blessing of God into a pseudo status symbol, the blessing becomes a curse because of pride. The goal? To become a source of blessing. Yes, that means leveraging our time talent, and treasure for others. But it also means leveraging our pain for another’s pain.”
Finally, Mark reminds us, God cannot use you until you’re broken. Because, the author states, it’s the broken places where:
- God’s grace seeps into the crevices
- God uses us to help others heal
- God breaks ground for a bigger blessing
Kintsugi, an ancient Japanese form, involves the repair of broken pieces of pottery. A lacquer made from powdered gold fills in the cracks. Thus, dysfunctions are disguised as they they celebrate cracks with golden seams. Furthermore, these seams give the pottery its unique character. So, when you count your blessings, Mark exhorts, don’t forget the broken places and the broken pieces!
Today’s question: What Scriptures help you go through the unscalable mountains you face? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The critical thing when it comes to life”
