Brokenness

Brokenness

The word sends a chill up our spine.  Brokenness. We shutter at the thought.  In fact, most of us will do whatever it takes to avoid the vulnerability, the lack of control, and the humbling that accompanies brokenness. 

 
We tend to think of brokenness as something that requires healing but let's consider brokenness in a different light.  Steve McVey's definition of brokenness is "A condition which exists when a person has given up all confidence in his own ability to manage life."  Using this definition, brokenness is not something we attain and move on from or get healed from. Rather it is a condition we want Christ to maintain in us.  The moment we move beyond brokenness we have moved back into self-sufficiency, self-effort, living in our own strength, and the flesh.  "To walk after the flesh really just means living out of our own abilities.  Another way to describe it is self-sufficiency.  Flesh refers to those techniques that I depend on when I try to get my needs met or manage my own life apart from Jesus Christ." (1)If brokenness is giving up all confidence in our own abilities to make life work, then it is a condition we want to settle into, seeking moment by moment to rejoice in our brokenness.  

"And it's beautiful, beautiful

Come as you are

Surrender your heart

Broken and beautiful, beautiful

Come as you are

Surrender your heart

Broken and beautiful

Cause there's nothing more beautiful at all

Than when His sons and daughters call, broken" (2)

Why would we want to be broken and to live broken lives?  Because it is in our brokenness that full surrender comes allowing the life of Jesus Christ to flow in and through us. 

"For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, and the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh." 2 Corinthians 4:11

Are you broken and beautiful or just beautiful?

Diane

(1) Steve McVey -"The Grace Walk Experience" pg14

(2) Mark Shultz - lyrics to "Broken & Beautiful"