“The very thing we are afraid of, our brokenness, is the door to our Father’s heart.” Paul Miller
Broken. When we hear this word images often come to our minds of jagged pieces forlornly scattered on the floor, bodies ravished from sickness or disease, or maybe even shattered hearts figuratively bleeding in pain. Whatever you may think of when you hear this word, we can probably all agree that it is not usually a positive image. But what if we’ve been viewing broken wrong all this time? Quite honestly, we see it as a negative thing-especially in our current culture. We want to have it all together or at least appear to-trying to hide behind our masks of put-togetherness, especially on social media-a virtual DIY façade that we fight desparately to maintain (oftentimes subconcisously).
I recently finished reading “The Broken Way” by Ann Voskamp. Like her other work I’ve read, her writing compels me to go deep and really ponder things. And so the past year or so as I’ve slowly digested her book, the theme of brokenness has been on the forefront of my mind; and consequently (or should I say because of God’s perfect timing and plan to teach me in context) the theme of our life here on the mission field as well has been wrought with wave after wave of brokenness.
We often equate brokenness with pain don’t we? Raw and exposed. All our faults laid bare before those we trust and those we don’t.
Yet, what do we see when we look at God’s word? If we take a closer look I think we’ll be pleasantly surprised.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18
It seems to me that the Lord takes great pleasure in loving the broken-hearted.
If we look in the natural order of things we see that brokenness is the only way that can lead to growth…
“I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24
“The seed breaks to give us the wheat. The soil breaks to give us the crop, the sky breaks to give us the rain, the wheat breaks to give us the bread. And the bread breaks to give us the feast. There was once even an alabaster jar that broke to give Him all the glory.” (Voskamp)
When a baby chick emerges into the world it does so by breaking through the shell of its egg that once nurtured and gave it life. But then comes the time when this same shell becomes a prison and the chick must peck through piece by piece in order to enter the world and life awaiting it there to be learned from its mother. In fact, if the mother helps the chick break through the egg it will not survive-it must struggle through it in order to thrive.
In order for an avocado tree to bear fruit it must be broken-nails driven in or beat so that it can burst forth with life. We have seen this firsthand on our Ugandan compound as our Karamajong friends beat our avocado tree (which hadn’t produced in 8 years) but as a result of their tough love it is now producing beautiful fruit.
“There is no growth without change, no change without surrender, no surrender without wound-no abundance without breaking. Wounds are what break open the soul to plant the seeds of deeper growth.” (Voskamp)
Then the ultimate example…to find life we must lose it. When Jesus is serving the Last Supper to his disciples, talking about the breaking of his body and the blood that will be spilt on the cross as a sacrifice for the brokenness of mankind’s sins-all of us Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve (as C.S. Lewis so simply yet eloquently puts it in His Narnia series).
Jesus’ body was broken on the cross and He suffered the most painful death in the fight to defeat sin and then broke through the chains of death through his resurrection-making atonement for our sins and providing a way for eternal life for all who believe. This sacrificial act of brokenness is beautiful! And if we are His disciples then this means if we are broken for Him it is a thing of beauty.
"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." Isaiah 53:3
It certainly seems to be a paradox to us-this brokenness that can ultimately lead to life. But it does not always do so, does it? So often we get caught up in the cares of this world that we lose hope and don’t move forward from our brokenness-we don’t allow our God who has power over every brokenness to offer us life and hope and perseverance. We’ve all been there and known someone who has been in this state. Maybe it’s your family member or friend whom you love dearly who just can’t seem to shake if off. It’s such a difficult place to be at-to be so aware of the brokenness of this world, of the effects of sin that wants to wreek havoc on our lives, to be so aware of our own fraility and brokenness as human beings, is it not? I have been there many times as of late.
“Out of feeling lavishly loved by God, one can break and give away that lavish love-and know the complete fullness of love. The miracle happens in the breaking.” (Voskamp)
We see this to be true in our own lives when we give of ourselves, serving others only to find peace and energy and joy in our giving!
“Brokenness happens in a soul so the power of God can happen in a soul.
“There is such terrible darkness within me, as if everything was dead…I do not know how deeper will this trial go-how much pain and suffering it will bring to me. This does not worry me anymore. I leave this to Him as I leave everything else…Let Him do with me whatever He wants as He wants for as long as He wants if my darkness is light to some soul.” Mother Teresa
So dear Jesus, I pray that you will show me how to find you in my brokenness and that I would allow it to grow me in Your beauty. Fill me with your peace and your assurance that shores up all my broken places and mends all the pieces of my aching heart. May I be vulnerable and courageous to show the world so that others will see your miracle working power in my own life. Help me to follow Your Spirit each day and to live out of humility and beautiful brokenness so that my life can minister to others. To you all the glory!
Let our hearts rejoice and take great comfort from these promises in God’s word:
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes 3:1-4
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”- Isaiah 43:2
And provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.-Isaiah 61:3
