Like anything, there is no exact pattern or science to the way God works in our lives. But, the reality is that brokenness often precedes restoration. Like I said in this previous post, God desires to restore. He sent Jesus to this earth to restore us, as broken people, to himself. Jesus was a restorer in everything that he did.
Can we be restored before we are broken? Until we have given up control? Until our shell has been exposed? Maybe. But, I'm not so sure that God can restore until we allow ourselves to be broken or he breaks us nonetheless.
I've been witness to this brokenness more than normal recently. I was once told that the scariest request one could ever make of God is to be humbled and broken.
I saw two high school students who have experienced extreme brokenness over the past few weeks.
I asked one of them if I could share a bit. Here's a bit of the story:
After several conversations he came to me at a place of anger and brokenness with tears already starting. I could sense the Spirit working but it seemed like it was going to be long process. There was so much going on inside. After just listening for a while, I watched him fall to his knees and cry out to God from his innermost being to take this burden and hurt and pain and frustration and filth from him. The next hour was like watching a literal battle between a man and God and it was incredibly surreal to witness. It ended that night at the beginning of freedom. A long process ahead was acknowledged, but healing, restoration had started. I can honestly say that I've never seen someone so broken and in such a battle with the Almighty God, but it was healthy and good and God was obviously present through the Holy Spirit.
Scripture on brokenness:
Ps. 34:8
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Ps. 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
Ps. 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
Question:
What do you think about brokenness? Are my thoughts anywhere right here? Is brokenness something we should seek?
p.s. I've been told I'm always serious on my blog. Sorry, this one is too. I'll try to be funnier. I'm truly a happy person. I guess this is just my outlet for thoughts like these.
photo © Darren Hester for openphoto.net CC:Attribution-NonCommercial
3 comments:
No surprise here: i like the serious ones. Keep up the good thoughts. It's always good to question and challenge the mind.
People tell noel that too, I don't mind the seriousness a bit, i mean, you're just sharing what you're thinking.
So after thinking about it more, here are my thoughts: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" right? Well, we're all fallen and broken but we spend most of the time trying to hold the pieces together ourselves. In our desperate attempts to retain independence we hold tightly to those loose pieces - the things we can't fix, can't control. The problem is God is searching for complete dependence upon him. At that moment of "brokenness" - when all of the pieces are too heavy - we drop all of those pieces and surrender. We "let go and let God." God is always prepared to restore but he is waiting for us to surrender, to depend.
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