Brokenness

Last time I spoke of coming willingly to the Lord, not like the bridled horse that is coerced by a metal bit, but willingly and with a spirit ready to be delivered from bondage. And today I continue on a similar route as I share what God has placed upon my heart for healing and in my mind for renewing...

Brokenness.

What is it and what does it have to do with me? With you? Well-known for her godly and Truth-filled writings, Nancy Leigh DeMoss sums it up this way in her book Brokenness: The Heart God Revives.

"The broken person has no confidence

in his own righteousness or his own works,

but he is cast in total dependence

upon the grace of God

working in and through him."

Think back to my last post, I placed a picture of one of our horses alongside the Scripture-Talk. That is Indy (he thinks he is a race horse, hence the name) and my husband is breaking him for our young son to someday ride. The horse trainer does not literally snap the legs of the horse, rather he shows the horse who is in control. The man uses a gentle strength and works with the spirit of the horse to accomplish this feat. The feeding, the grooming, the riding, and all other man-equine-related activities are much smoother and safer, once the horse respects the man. Once the horse trusts the man. The horse cannot survive without the trainer.

Just as we cannot survive without God and His guiding hand. But how do we get to the point where we willingly come to our Trainer, our Lord?

Simply put, we also need to be broken. And as Nancy DeMoss stated, our brokenness needs to be to the point where we are completely dependent upon God's grace to lead us around the arena, to guide us in the pasture, and to shine His glory for others to see as we gallop around.

God's Word doesn't necessarily speak the term "brokenness," but it does speak of a contrite heart, which is further defined as a penitent heart. The 14th century definition of penitent means expressing humble or regretful pain or sorrow for sins or offenses (as defined by the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

Brokenness has to do with humbling oneself to the point of accepting that God is the only One who can take our bad and use it for His good.

Brokenness has to do with our recognition that we simply cannot survive on our own.

My New King James Version Life Application Study Bible note's say that "the sacrifices of the arrogant were only an external compliance." External compliance means merely lookin' good on the outside. I am making sure that others see me lookin' good and doin' good.

Whoa! Wait a minute and just quit resisting Me. I don't want you to just look good. I want you to have My healing and forgiveness and restoration spilling out your humbled heart. But in order to allow me to train you in such a manner, you must be broken and contrite. Have you read these Words, dear child?

Psalm 51:17

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise.

Isaiah 66:2

For all those things My hand has made,

And all those things exist,”

Says the LORD.

“But on this one will I look:

On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,

And who trembles at My word.

God says He will not despise a broken and contrite heart. The world might, but He will not!

He will look upon those who are of a contrite spirit. The world might scoff, but He will not!

Brokenness is a biblical thing, not a world thing.

It is an action.

It is an action demonstrating trust & love.

It is a choice.

It is a choice of recognizing God for who He is

and recognizing ourselves for who we aren't.

Are you looking for a healed heart and a renewed mind? It doesn't matter if it is post-abortion pain and heart-ache from which you are suffering. It doesn't matter if it is the trauma from abuse from which you are bound. It doesn't matter if it is a lie you have let infiltrate your mind. We are all in dire need of not only coming willing into the Lord's presence, but we are in desperate need of being broken in His loving hands.

Let us humbly pray:

Father God, as we come willingly into your forgiving, healing and renewing presence, give us the strength to come in all of our brokenness. For without Your loving grasp upon the reigns of our lives, we are living in our own arrogance. We want You to work in and through us. Our righteousness is not in us, it is in You. Father give us all we need so that our innermost heart beats for You! In Jesus' name, Amen.

Remember, to be broken is to be healed. And renewed.