More on Brokenness

Last Sunday I spoke about boasting in our brokenness. Here are some more thoughts. Some of these are excerpts from an article written by Nancy Leigh DeMoss called, "Choosing Brokenness".

Brokenness is not a feeling; it is a choice, an act of the will. Brokenness is a lifestyle of agreeing with God about the true condition of my heart and life, as He sees it. It is a lifestyle of unconditional, absolute surrender of my will to the will of God--a heart attitude that says, 'Yes, Lord!' to whatever God says.

Brokenness means the shattering of my self-will, so that the life and Spirit of the Lord Jesus may be released through me. Brokenness is my response of humility and obedience to the conviction of the Word and the Spirit of God. And as the conviction is continuous, so must the brokenness be continuous.

Which are you?

Proud people focus on the failures of others; they have a critical, fault-finding spirit. Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need. Therefore, they can esteem all others better than themselves.

Proud people have to prove that they are right; but broken people are willing to yield the right to be right.

Proud people want to be served and to be a success. But broken people desire to serve others and to make them a success.

Proud people have a drive to be recognized and appreciated. Broken people are thrilled that God would use them at all; they rejoice when others are lifted up.

Proud people are quick to take offense; but broken people are quick to forgive and overlook offenses.

Proud people wait for others to come and ask forgiveness. Broken people take the initiative to be reconciled when there is a conflict; they race to the cross and see who can get there first, no matter how wrong the other may have been.

Proud people compare themselves to others, but broken people compare themselves to the holiness of God.

God's Word teaches that brokenness brings blessedness. Jesus said, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit'--i.e., the 'broken ones,' those who recognize that they are spiritually bankrupt and poverty-stricken. Psalms 34:18 says, "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit".

And one of my personal favorites is Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise".

Amazingly, and by His grace, God has called broken Pastors to lead broken people.