From brokenness to healing

The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. Joel 2:11-13

When one becomes broken in spirit, tendency is to cower and give up. The culture promotes appearance of stability and strength and not to admit brokenness. Yet this is the attitude that God wants from His followers. Brokenness is when one admits before God their desperate need of Him. Jesus told His disciples, “...apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). From the text, what the prophet Joel was urging the Israelites do is to come to God with contrite heart. When you are in this condition, your desire is to come to God and pray. When you pray, you invite God to be at work in your life. You are expressing before Him your dependence. Pride will say, “God I don’t need you,” while humility before Him will pray, “God, I’m desperate for you.” “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Brokenness is what brings people to God. It is part of the fabric of life. Unless the grain of seed is broken and dies, no new life that produces harvest could take place. “When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first” (1 Corinthians 15:36). Your life in Christ is manifested every time you expressed your dependence on Him. “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” (Matthew 5:3, The Message). Jacob has to be broken fighting with God and that is when he realized to trust and be dependent on Him (see Genesis 32:24-32). David knew that no matter what sacrifice he offers before God, it will not amount to anything if it is not offered from a contrite heart. “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God” (Psalm 51:17). You might feel the pain of brokenness before God that made you turn to ask Him for help but this is when God comes to help and heal. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalm 34:18). “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). In your brokenness, come to God and you will not regret it.

Blessings.