BROKENNESS: A Contrite Heart
BROKENNESS
Brokenness is a subject that requires revelation to see the reality and depth of what is being discussed. It is a topic for which most people will only see the tip of the iceberg while the main body and substance will remain hidden. Therefore, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” --B L
Psalm 51:17 “A broken and a contrite heart, Oh God, You will not despise.”
Brokenness is a subject that requires revelation to see the reality and depth of what is being discussed. It is a topic for which most people will only see the tip of the iceberg while the main body and substance will remain hidden. Therefore, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” --B L
Psalm 51:17 “A broken and a contrite heart, Oh God, You will not despise.”
The essence of brokenness is surrender and humility. It speaks of how we respond to God and to his leading and discipline in our lives.
Brokenness refers to a contriteness that is willing to die to self and its desires. The absence of brokenness is characterized by a stubborn and self-centered struggle to resist change, correction, and God’s rule. Our unbroken human nature can be compared to the wild horse that is unwilling to submit to the rider and the bridle. The spirit of rebellion is basically the desire to cast off the yoke of God’s rule, to go its own way, and to satisfy its own desires. Much stress and distress come from holding to self and its interest and from the refusal to surrender, and “give up” before the Lord.
A broken person will surrender and allow God to take him in hand. He responds properly to God's dealings. Surrender means that a person has yielded to God's hand, God's will, and God's discipline in his life. He has become tractable and capable of being led, taught, and managed in the same way a horse is broken and no longer wild. Humility refers to the crushing of independent, rebellious self. It is a person's recognizing his own inability apart from God. Brokenness deals with independence, resistance, stubbornness, pride, arrogance, self-dependence, and the need for self-vindication. When a person is broken, he casts himself upon God and is freed from the need to prove a point, vindicate himself, or get his own way. He has learned the way of the cross. He has learned that, unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone.
Brokenness affects our relationship with God and with others. It helps prevent conflict in some cases. Much conflict is protracted and drags on and on because of the failure of a person to simply “give up.” Much of our stress and distress would evaporate or resolve itself if we only knew how to take a deep breath, and simply “give up” and quit fighting in the flesh. An unbroken person will fight by means of his lower nature rather than using the spiritual weapons that are at hand but hidden.
Brokenness means that a person has humbled himself before God, confessed and repented of his sin. He walks in a meekness that trusts God to defend, to uphold the right and to judge the wrong. He walks in godly character and in God's ways to accomplish God's will during times of difficulty, affliction, stress, and injustice. Brokenness requires faith in the Sovereign God and a heart that has gone the way of the cross.
A broken person will surrender and allow God to take him in hand. He responds properly to God's dealings. Surrender means that a person has yielded to God's hand, God's will, and God's discipline in his life. He has become tractable and capable of being led, taught, and managed in the same way a horse is broken and no longer wild. Humility refers to the crushing of independent, rebellious self. It is a person's recognizing his own inability apart from God. Brokenness deals with independence, resistance, stubbornness, pride, arrogance, self-dependence, and the need for self-vindication. When a person is broken, he casts himself upon God and is freed from the need to prove a point, vindicate himself, or get his own way. He has learned the way of the cross. He has learned that, unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone.
Brokenness affects our relationship with God and with others. It helps prevent conflict in some cases. Much conflict is protracted and drags on and on because of the failure of a person to simply “give up.” Much of our stress and distress would evaporate or resolve itself if we only knew how to take a deep breath, and simply “give up” and quit fighting in the flesh. An unbroken person will fight by means of his lower nature rather than using the spiritual weapons that are at hand but hidden.
Brokenness means that a person has humbled himself before God, confessed and repented of his sin. He walks in a meekness that trusts God to defend, to uphold the right and to judge the wrong. He walks in godly character and in God's ways to accomplish God's will during times of difficulty, affliction, stress, and injustice. Brokenness requires faith in the Sovereign God and a heart that has gone the way of the cross.
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