“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)
God can turn your brokenness into a blessing
We experience dramatic circumstances that can instantly change our lives and leave us with a broken spirit-a feeling of rejection, defeat, and sometimes depression. There are some circumstances that lead to brokenness that we cannot control, others we can. But no matter the circumstances, we can give them all to God.
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
One particular circumstance that can lead to brokenness is death. Even though death is a part of life, the loss of a relative or friend can cause a great deal of pain, stress, depression, and even illness. Dealing with the death of a loved one can be painful. Foreclosure, job loss, and failed relationships can also leave individuals broken.
In their futile attempt to deal with their brokenness, some resort to trying to find their own way out through drugs and alcohol, only to find themselves dealing with an even more broken situation, addiction. A member of a church may attend worship services every Sunday, sitting in the pews, broken. The member may be physically in the worship service, but not receiving what is needed to fight his spiritual battle of brokenness.
Right now, you may find yourself broken so long that you risk falling back into sin. Rest assured; God can turn your brokenness into a blessing. We see many examples of how God turned broken situations around in the Bible. Examples of people who went through broken experiences, but came out even more bold and powerful, willing to live and serve God with a greater determination than they had before.
Jesus experienced the most significant brokenness of all.
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26)
“And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you.” (1 Corinthians 11:24)
Jesus’s body (not bones) were broken when He was beaten, nailed to the cross, a spear thrust through his side, and a crown of thorns pressed onto his head.
Mary broke open her alabaster box of expensive perfume and poured it over Jesus’s head.
“And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” (Mark 14:3)
The breaking was symbolic of Jesus being broken on the cross at Calvary, but three days later, raised completely whole. We must be willing to be broken. God wants to mold us so that we may stand before Him holy, pure, “whole” and with a renewed mind.
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. “ (Psalm 34:18)
Maybe you are broken and feel that God is far away. He has not forgotten you. He knows the pain you feel.
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)
Renew your mind and spirit
Your pathway to deliverance must begin with a desire to move forward by God’s Word, his Spirit, and with a renewed mind. Your old nature must be chipped away by first acknowledging that you have a problem. You must surrender everything to him, especially those things you have no control over. You must find out what God wants to do with you because He has great plans for you, plans for you to succeed in life.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
”Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Before God can fully deliver you from your brokenness, there are some things you must put off and things you must put on. Put off your bad habits, addictions, and negative qualities by putting on Godly qualities with a renewed mind.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
You MUST allow God’s Spirit to change all your ungodly thoughts and let Him mold and shape you into the positive, righteous, and holy person He wants you to be. A renewing of the mind cannot take place without being filled with his Spirit and spending time with Him in prayer, fasting, and studying his Word.
“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.“ (Matthew 17:21)
God’s promises are not granted based upon our situations and circumstances; they are based upon our faith in him and his Word. You will lack in faith that God can deliver you when you go beyond His Word, trying to find your own way. You will only find trouble and continued brokenness.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
Learn from your brokenness
God is near to us, shares with us, and delivers us.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19).
Great experiences with God occur as a result of your brokenness. There are joys and great blessings that will come to you after you endure brokenness according to God’s will and purpose for you. Brokenness can only be healed by your faith in God, submitting to Him and letting Him mold you and reveal to you your purpose. The greatest counsel you can get is from God and yourself. God knows you better than you know yourself. The help He gives is limitless.
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)
You know yourself better than anyone else knows you. You know what your struggles. You know what is leaving you broken. David was facing a broken situation when his soldiers talked of stoning him. He realized that sometimes, you might have to encourage yourself.
“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6)
As a potter molds and shapes at the potter’s wheel, God will shape and reshape you over and over again and again, putting you back together until you meet his approval so that you may function according to his purpose. Then, when God heals your brokenness, his desire is for you to move forward to bring healing to others. Don’t let failures and brokenness define who you are. You are not who you are at your worst. No matter how or why you are broken, you have a purpose; you can change. Let God do it. Learn from your brokenness.