Objection: God Uses Sickness to “Break” Us
This is similar to many other objections, but the distinguishing feature of this one is the incorrect but oft-quoted assumption that God can only use broken vessels. Therefore (supposedly) God allows sickness to “break” us so that we will be broken vessels that God can use. Give me a break!
God cannot use “broken” vessels any more than you can use a “broken” car to get to work or use a “broken” glass to hold lemonade. God needs vessels that are not “broken” to get the gospel out! How can you do that while you’re laid up sick, unable to even care for yourself, let alone others? You could get the gospel out much more easily if you were well. Besides, many people die from their illnesses, so that is proof in and of itself that the purpose of sickness is not to “break” someone to make him more suitable for the Master’s service later on.
Jesus went around healing the broken, not breaking the whole. He even said that part of His commission from God was to heal the brokenhearted, not to break the hearts of those who were not brokenhearted.
Besides, if you backslide or get proud, God does not have to break you. The devil is out there already waiting to sock it to you, and when you get into his territory (out of God’s will), he will take advantage of his opportunity to “break” you. However, this is the devil’s work, not God’s. In 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, a man had to be handed over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh so that his spirit would be saved. Paul did not say that God would use sickness to break the person. It would be Satan, not God, who would be destroying his flesh. Please note that this case applies to an unrepentant fake believer in gross sin, not to an everyday real believer.
I had the misfortune to be in a service where the speaker claimed that God had sent him a serious illness to “break” him – and he proceeded to have an altar call for people to come who wanted God to “break” them too so that God could really use them. (I wish I were making this stuff up.) To my dismay, it looked like EVERYONE went up to get “broken” except for me and my wife. (We knew better.) This only served to show me how prevalent this “God only uses broken vessels” crud has gotten in some Spirit-filled circles! Imagine going up to join what is in effect a sickening line instead of a healing line! Can anyone point to any event in Jesus’ ministry where he sickened the well to “break” them so that God could “really” use them? If not, why should anyone tolerate this grossly antibiblical teaching?
One of Satan’s illnesses can serve as a wake-up call so that you stop backsliding, but even then, the illness wasn’t God’s doing. Satan just took advantage of you. God and Satan have not traded job descriptions! Satan is still the sickener and God is still the Healer. Being sick is never God’s will for you. His will is for you to present your body as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1). If you get broken, it is not God’s doing! God does not “break” what is presented and consecrated to him. Being broken is Satan’s will for you, not God’s will.
When I was younger, so much younger than today, I followed the advice of ignorant music and teachings and prayed for God to “break me” so that He could “use me.” I sang along with a song that a friend back then used to sing at churches, “Instead of sunshine, I’ll take rain; instead of pleasure, I’ll take pain…For whatever it takes for my will to break, that’s what I’m willing to do.” (I’ll spare you the rest of that stupid song.) And guess what? I got sick almost immediately. I accepted the sickness as God’s means of “breaking me.” Satan took advantage of my newly-learned unbelief! I was not made more useful for Kingdom service. By being sick, it became HARDER to do service in God’s kingdom! I’m glad that I learned the truth so that I don’t let Satan take advantage of me like that anymore.
God says that you are delivered from the devil’s kingdom and moved into Jesus Christ’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13). God would be unjust to place a consecrated believer into the hands of the enemy whose kingdom Christ delivered you from – for any reason. Why would God need to use the devil to perfect you when you have God’s Word, which by itself is able to perfect you? “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God's New Testament plan is to reprove you and correct you through His Word, not through sickness. Since His Word can do it, there should be no need for sickness to do it.
But wouldn’t God use disease to HUMBLE you? NO! NEVER! The Bible says that it is your responsibility to humble yourself, not God’s responsibility to ensure your humility. (See 1 Peter 5:6, Matthew 18:4, Luke 14:11, Luke 18:14 and James 4:10.)
You can talk about a broken body helping you serve God better – as long as it’s Jesus Christ’s broken body you’re talking about! Jesus’ body was broken for you in your place. His body was broken so that yours could stay well!