[Random thoughts on “brokenness” from The Heart =
God Revives (Moody Press) by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, 2002]
>True brokenness is=
a lifestyle – a moment-by- moment lifestyle of agreeing with God abo=
ut the true condition of my heart and life – not as everyone else thi=
nks it is but as He knows it to be.
>Brokenness is the shattering of my self-w=
ill – the absolute surrender of my will to the will of God. It =
is saying “Yes, Lord!” – no resistance, no chafing, no st=
ubbornness – simply submitting myself to His direction and will in my=
life.
>Brokenness is the stripping of self-reliance and independence from Go=
d. The broken person has no confidence in his own righteousness or hi=
s own works, but he is cast in total dependence upon the grace of God worki=
ng in and through him.
>Unbroken people…cannot rejoice over repentant si=
nners. They are consumed with a sense of their own rights and expecta=
tions. And if they don’t get the treatment they feel they deser=
ve, they throw a pity party for themselves.
>Proud people keep others at arm=
’s length. Broken people are willing to take the risks of getti=
ng close to others and loving intimately.
>Jesus said, “Blessed are the =
poor in spirit” – contrary to what we would expect, brokenness =
is the pathway to blessing! There are no alternative routes; there are no s=
hort-cuts. The very thing we dread and are tempted to resist is actually th=
e means to God’s greatest blessings in our lives.
>The Word, circumstanc=
es, and other believers – these can all be tools to show us our need =
and create opportunities to choose the pathway of brokenness. The Spi=
rit of God is the arm that wields each of these instruments to bring us to =
a point of brokenness. However, we must respond to His initiative.
>Prou=
d people focus on the failures of others and can readily point out those fa=
ults. Broken people are more conscious of their own spiritual need than of =
anyone else’s.
>Proud people have a feeling – conscious or subcon=
scious – that “this ministry is privileged to have me and my gi=
fts.” They focus on what they can do for God. Broken people have a he=
art attitude that says, “I don’t deserve to have any part in th=
is ministry”; they know that they have nothing to offer God except th=
e life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
bob@grif.=
net www=
=2Egrif.net
"Jesus Knows Me, This I Love!"