You Can't Fix a Broken Home With a Sledgehammer

I remember sitting in the bank here in Southeast Missouri a few months back.

Papers scattered everywhere. My heart racing. 25 Commercial Drive was finally going to be our home. The era of wandering was finally over.

For 156 weeks, we gathered wherever we could. We met mostly at The Landing and The Ranch House. It was three years of setting up in borrowed rooms and wondering where we would be next month. The bank was doing everything they could to move the process along. But I was still sitting there trying to engineer the outcome. I was checking my watch and worrying about the wiring. I was trying to force God’s spontaneous flow to fit into a 48-hour business window.

Stop Being the Contractor

We have a goofy habit of thinking we’re the divine contractors of our own lives. We look at the walls in our way. Whether it’s messy finances or a struggle with addiction, we immediately go looking for a sledgehammer.

We think grit or more work will move the needle. We assume that if we just pull one more all-nighter, the obstacles will finally give way. But sitting in that office, the Spirit hit me with both barrels. He reminded me that I am not the one who handles the demolition. He is.

Trust the Word

The Word is the only hardware that actually moves the needle in this world. Scripture says that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh (John 1:14). That Truth is the distinguishing factor between you and the rest of the world.

You don’t have to engineer a miracle. You just have to be the one who shows up to the prayer service while the walls are still standing. A sledgehammer can’t move a spiritual wall. Grit can’t build a habitat for God. Only the resurrected Christ can do that.

Surrender the Hammer

God is the one that makes the walls fall. Your only job is to keep your heart in a state of gratitude while He handles the heavy lifting. Obedience in the fog means trusting the Commander even before you see the dust from the demolition.

Stop trying to expedite the breakthrough. Stop looking for a sledgehammer and start looking for the Word. Identifying the character flaws that fuel your need for control is the first step toward actual freedom.

Mission This Week: Identify one mess in your life that you have been trying to fix with nothing but your own sweat and stress. For the next seven days, I want you to show up to that situation with nothing but a “thank you” on your lips before a single thing actually changes. If you’re parenting and feel like you’re white-knuckling it, our Parenting resources will help you lead with grace. And if your body needs a reset, our Fitness resources can help you rebuild from the ground up.

See you Sunday,
Pastor Jeremy