Tonight I was able to speak at youth. The topic that I spoke on is very near and dear to my heart. Brokenness. It is such a valuable idea in the realm of Christianity, but very few truly understand it's significance. Those who do realize its importance, truly find life. We must be broken and vulnerable before God can act on our hearts. We have to reveal those innermost places; break down those sin walls that surround our hearts. If you have ever been to a place of utter hurt, need, or despair, and found yourself crying out to God, that is brokenness. It is not a matter of being weak, but a matter of letting God be strong.
Humility is the key to brokenness. None of us are humble... let's be real. So it is hard for us to ever really break down. We HAVE to let our guard down. The world tells us to be the first, the best, the greatest, the toughest, and the strongest. But what does God tell us?? Yes, that's right, He tells us to be the opposite. The Bible is littered with paradoxes that perplex the mind, but calm the heart. God calls us to be who we are. That's not scary. It's just real. And we are afraid of real. We like to fake things and act like we're ok, and essentially "perfect" ourselves so no one can see the hurts or find the faults. Well, the author and perfecter of our faith wants to make whole what is entirely broken. He cannot fix and restore what is not already broken.
So come to the Lord, as you are. Beautiful in your brokenness... Strong in your weakness. God wants the rough, original, genuine you. Not that somebody you think is you, that has a no problems, no tears, and no fears. In Exodus 20, God gave Moses the ten commandments and not long after told him to build an alter. But not just any alter, an alter built of only the roughest stones. He commanded that no tools touch the stones, lest they defile it. This is what I mean... don't fake it, don't fix yourself, don't bring that shielded heart to the alter. Bring the roughest you got. Bring the dirt and the destitution... bring the pain and the pride. Lay it down at the alter. Originally His.
Brokenness hurts. The Lord does not cause us pain, but rooting out all the mess causes the pain. To remove a thorn, you must actually decide to remove it. It doesn't feel good to do so, but once it's done healing can begin. I read a story to the kids tonight about a shepherd and his sheep. Sometimes to teach a lesson to a sheep and shepherd must break the sheep's leg. It sounds very cruel and unusual, but this sheep could very well lead the entire flock astray, because sheep are very dull animals. In fact, they have the smallest brain to body ratio of any animal... just so you know. The shepherd doesn't break the sheep's leg and then move on, he tends to the sheep night and day, feeding it from his hand, and watering it from his flask. He shows the sheep the right ways, and soon enough the sheep has forgotten that this same shepherd broke its leg. Once the sheep is healed it can return to the flock, better than before, smarter than before. The sheep can now lead the flock and impart the learned lessons. In the same way God is our shepherd...
He doesn't want to hurt us, but He wants to make right what is wrong. He wants to rid us of the pain and the suffering inside. There is always hurt before healing. Breakdown before the Lord. Let the pieces of your life be an offering, pleasing to the Lord. Brokenness is the beginning - it all starts with a broken and contrite heart. Then and only then can the Lord begin His work on you.
Time to try for Round 2 on the whole sleeping thing...
-k10
