Guest Post: The Break-Through Point

God's Grace Runs Deeper than Our Pain

We sat on the couch, prayed, and tried to count our blessings. My husband and I were grappling

with unexpected news which resulted in significant financial loss and momentous impending

decisions. The fact that our first child was due in five weeks increased our anxiety.

The Lord strengthened us through our time together in the Word, and we decided to re-assess

the situation later in the day. Mark asked if I had any meal plans, to which I replied optimistically,

“That’s something we can be grateful for! The deep freezer is full of food, so we won’t need to

buy groceries for awhile. Do you want to pull out a lasagna?” He smiled sweetly and headed

outside.

I sat on the couch and looked at my pregnant belly, contemplating how grateful I was for the

many great meat deals I’d recently found, in addition to the homemade meals stashed away in

anticipation of “Honeybear’s” arrival.

But what was taking Mark so long?

Finally, I heard the back door open. “What’s wrong, babe?” I asked, “Was it hard to find the

lasagna?”

“No, I found it,” he said, concern in his voice, “but we have a problem.” Soon we were both

outside, holding our breath as we looked into the deep freezer. Clearly, something had

malfunctioned days before; its contents were hot and putrid. Twenty pounds of beef, thirty

pounds of chicken, multiple home-cooked meals, various stock-up deals—all wasted.

Back inside, seated at our kitchen table, I burst into tears. Mark looked confused. He had

watched me try to be strong through the recent financial trials. He had heard me quote

Scripture, pray, and hold it together. But in this moment, I fell apart. “Honey, what’s wrong?” he

asked tenderly, patting my arm. “This is just food. It’s not a big deal. We can buy more.”

“I got all that meat on sale,” I sobbed. “And those meals, I made them…”

Looking up at him, I acknowledged, “This is my breaking point.”

We’ve all been there. After holding up well under incredibly heavy trials, something much

smaller by comparison happened, and we fell apart. It was “the straw that broke the camel’s

back.” It was the breaking point.

Someone said that our breaking point can become our breakthrough point when we receive

the grace of God. What a beautiful thing our breaking point is when we allow God to transform it

into something so glorious! When we recognize our insufficiency, we finally stop depending on

ourselves and instead, lean into the Lord’s infinite supply of grace.

Salvation is by grace through faith alone. We can’t achieve it through our own feeble efforts.

Sanctification is very much the same, as Galatians reminds us: “Are ye so foolish? having

begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3)

As mommas, sometimes we walk through dark valleys. We face miscarriage, traumatic birth

experiences, health issues, relational conflicts, and sleep deprivation. These and other challenges

feel weighty, even debilitating at times. The Lord has shown me that a trial is more than a mere

package of personal pain and confusion to be surrendered to Him. It is more than a test of faith.

It’s even more than an opportunity to walk out the truth we have been taught over our lifetimes.

Trials involve spiritual warfare! (See Ephesians 6:10-18.)

As women, we don’t often think of ourselves as soldiers. We’re the nurturers, the caretakers, the

shoulders to cry on. Yet in a spiritual sense, we are involved in a serious fight. Especially during

trials, so much is at stake! We must prayerfully put on the full armor of God to triumph through

the victory that is ours through Christ. We can’t afford to yield to bitterness, doubt, and

discontentment. (And oh, how easily do we find ourselves tempted by these attitudes! Taking

thoughts captive is the game changer.)

Consider Job. He knew nothing of what was taking place in the heavenlies. He didn't

understand what had prompted a tragic chain of events in his life, nor why he had to endure

such suffering. Yet as he chose to trust and even bless God in his trial, great spiritual victories

were being won for the kingdom of God.

There are many possible reasons for the trials we face, but regardless of the cause, every trial

presents an opportunity to glorify God. Thus, our decision to worship God is a serious blow to

the enemy. And truly, how blessed we are to have God's Word as our comfort! Unbelievers

have no hope in the storms of life, but we have the presence of our Savior and the assurance of

His promises. His grace runs deeper than our pain.

Understanding this aspect of spiritual warfare in trials has been a "break-through" point in my

life; it renewed my entire perspective. When we lean into the strength of our Savior, we gain

spiritual ground for eternity. Our trials are not wasted or in vain when used for the glory of God.

Throughout our family’s challenging season, Mark would often say, “We will praise the Lord,”

echoing David’s prayers in the Psalms. It became a sort of family resolve. There have certainly

been moments when we yielded to fear and doubt, but overall, it was enriching to see the many

beautiful things God had in store as we sought to bless His name “at all times.” (See Psalm

34:1.) One of the glorious facets of the Gospel is that our Savior lives to make intercession for

us. Ephesians explains that the same power which raised Christ from the dead is now at work in

our hearts, enabling us to live for His glory, regardless of circumstances. (See Ephesians 1:19-

20.)

“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in

weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may

rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in

persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2

Corinthians 12:9-10

May our breaking point become our “break-through” point as we receive the indescribably sweet

gift of God’s sustaining grace.