Brokenness
Toiling in the garden, hoeing and digging up weeds is just up my alley. I love the challenge of transplanting a bush or plant that molds into the colorful design my mind has created. While I am clipping and pruning I cannot help but notice the mixed barrage of odors the shrubbery releases into the atmosphere. One single clip can bring forth a massive amount of challenges for your olfactory skills.
Plants have a way of communicating to us that isn’t too distant from the way we ourselves relate. When they are thriving they bloom and usually smell sweet while waving about in the sunshine. When they are clipped, they seem to rebel while giving off an offensive odor as mentioned previously. Some have said that this is the way the plant cries in relation to the crime. Others have said that the odor itself destroys other plants so many feet away. When the plant such as roses are cut and placed in water, then left by itself, sooner or later the roses become stagnant and give off the stench of death. Yet, roses love to be pruned so they can produce more blossoms. They also gobble up food as quickly as it is given. The rewards can be obvious when we count the numerous buds on one single bush.
Being totally broken is a humbling experience, even in the plant world. I once had a Pastor friend who I admired and always said: “I never trust a man who doesn’t have a limp.” I second that! Many of us can easily say that because we have that storehouse of memories, we find that most of our negative reactions that we are discontent with today, can be because of the selfish decisions of yesterday.
God draws near to the broken and crushed because it is that time when we are open to receive His truth. We cannot truly be humble unless we are broken. Before a stick is broken, it bends. Only then, are we able to look up. Sometimes, a door has to be broken and beat down in order to get inside of the house. For such a time when our wound is open, our ears are open and our spirit is open and we can feel disoriented with emotional pain and the sensitivity of the damage to our souls become heightened. I believe The Holy Spirit opens up our eyes and allows us to see just how far we have fallen. Alike the plant, we give off an odor as our souls cry from within.
God draws near to the broken and crushed because it is that time when we are open to receive His truth. We cannot truly be humble unless we are broken. Before a stick is broken, it bends. Only then, are we able to look up. Sometimes, a door has to be broken and beat down in order to get inside of the house. For such a time when our wound is open, our ears are open and our spirit is open and we can feel disoriented with emotional pain and the sensitivity of the damage to our souls become heightened. I believe The Holy Spirit opens up our eyes and allows us to see just how far we have fallen. Alike the plant, we give off an odor as our souls cry from within.
Without the scars we would not understand the battleground.
Being broken to tears has many scientific health benefits. When we weep over our heartbreak many things begin to happen in our body, such as the release of those valiant hero’s called “endorphins” that go after the toxins in our body. Yes, we are purged and cleansed just by our sorrow and grief.
When our eyes tear up and physically cleanse us, we can see better. We see the depth of our actions because we chose to humble ourselves. We chose to be honest in our heart and admit our wrong or perhaps staying in an area of our life that continues to depress and degrade the life we live. We stop lying to ourselves. When we do this, we are at last; honest with God.
God honors broken vessels! There are many plants that I snip off and push the stalks right back into the soil where they take root and grow. But, first they must be broken in order to force themselves to take root, be strong and know what they must do! Yes, even the plant world is broken to be strong.
Two verses:
The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart, and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent. Psalms 34:18 amp
My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent] such , O God, You will not despise. Psalms 51:17 amp
Whatever your need, when we sincerely humble ourselves before God, we experience a divine encounter. God our Father draws near to you and listens. He hears your heart. He sees your pain and all the wounds that are involved. He sees the people involved and all their hurts. There isn’t anything that is not uncovered in His presence. The closer you begin to draw to Him, the nearer He comes to you. Your honesty becomes a threshold of truth that will open many doors in your life; doors of forgiveness, healing and much joy. The joy will create strength; strength to forgive that will free your spirit and you will receive your much desired healing by faith.
Where you once never danced in the Lord, you will twirl! You will sing from your soul as your spirit links with The Holy Spirit. Little do you realize that a choir of angels stand alongside you; celebrating your humble heart, as the handwriting of ordinances that were held against you have been totally blotted out!
Being humbly broken can mean:
1. I was wrong and that God was right.
2. It can be admittance that there is a God after all and that Jesus is Lord.
3. It can mean that your way was not the right way after all.
4. It means a decision.
5. A surrender.
1. I was wrong and that God was right.
2. It can be admittance that there is a God after all and that Jesus is Lord.
3. It can mean that your way was not the right way after all.
4. It means a decision.
5. A surrender.
I appreciated the way a well known Apologetic Dr. Ravi Zacharias described brokenness. As I can remember he was saying:
“Have you ever heard Physicians talk about a clean break in the bone? When this happens, given time and properly attended; the bone will knit perfectly back in alignment. A clean break aptly describes the separation from God because of sin. Yet, this clean break can be knit back in perfect alignment once again when perfect attendance is ministered.”
Today, right where you are at; The Holy Spirit is blowing upon your heart and saying: “Come back child, to that which you know is truth. Give yourself to me this day and I will take you the rest of the way.”
Pray:
Heavenly Father,
Forgive me. I realize that I have made such a mess of my life. I need You and do not know how to pray or what to do. Please forgive me my sins [confess your sins] . I want to be born-again, a new person in Christ. Show me and help me Lord to walk the straight path. I need to know how to love. Give me strength, I need your strength. Open up my eyes so I can see your truth. Set me free. Send me your messengers to help me grow. I believe and accept that Jesus is Lord. Direct my ways. I choose to walk by faith and not by sight. I choose to trust you with everything that is inside of me. Thank you Lord, in Jesus name, amen.
If you have prayed that prayer, please buy a Bible so you can begin reading and studying. Find a good Bible believing Church to meet those who have walked through this same porthole you just walked through. There are no shortcuts to glory. Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life…no one comes to the Father except through Him.
If you have prayed that prayer, please buy a Bible so you can begin reading and studying. Find a good Bible believing Church to meet those who have walked through this same porthole you just walked through. There are no shortcuts to glory. Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life…no one comes to the Father except through Him.
God Bless You
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