“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).”

In the Hebrew translation, the word “brokenhearted” is actually translated from two words. One meaning “shattered” and the other meaning “the inner man.” To put it another way, when we are brokenhearted, it feels as though our inner self has been pulverized into a thousand tiny pieces.

We’ve all been there before. The emptiness that looms makes it feel as though our entire world is falling apart. A void that refuses to be filled. Sorrow that cannot be comforted. Tears that feel like they will never dry up.

Broken.
Shattered.

It’s one thing to mourn a friendship that has gone south or to be discouraged after a quarrel with a loved one. It’s quite another to be devastated by abuse, unfaithfulness, abandonment, or deception.

Maybe you can relate in another way. Have you ever lost a job? A loved one? Experience a financial setback or health issue?

Growing up, I experienced many things that most would consider neglect or abuse. As an adolescent, I struggled with setting healthy boundaries, so the perceived injustices continued. I am married now and have two wonderful kids. This past November I came to know the Lord and was baptized. I’d love to say that I’m living happily ever after and that my past doesn’t still haunt me, but that would be the furthest thing from the truth. There are still days where the night terrors, insomnia, and mommy meltdowns are inevitable.

Regardless of the source of your pain, we must accept that God sees, He knows, He loves, and is at work even in the worst, most vile experiences in life. The Lord has used some of the darker moments in my life to wrap his arms around me and shower me with His unconditional love and grace. He’s used The Word to speak to my broken heart and show me that growth is a process.

No one is instantly mature, spiritually speaking, once they accept Christ as Savior. We are new creations in Christ Jesus; however, we still need to undergo a refining process in order to grow into His likeness.

Regardless of where you are in your walk with God,
the spiritual growth process includes brokenness.

After periods of brokenness, our lives can prove to be the most fruitful and have the most purpose, but we must first confront why God has allowed us to be broken in the first place.

Sometimes brokenness is a direct result of our unconfessed sin. Other times it may be due to the sins of others. Consider the story of Job, where God momentarily stepped aside and allowed an absence of His light. Regardless of the way it plays out, brokenness happens in order for God’s divine will to be accomplished.

The easy thing to do in these difficult circumstances would be to pray for God to remove us from the source of pain or spare us altogether.  But, God is more interested in changing our heart’s desire than giving us our heart’s desire.

He created us for Himself.
We were made to bring Him glory.

God may not pull us out of every storm in life, but He promises to carry us through them and give us the strength we need to endure. We simply need to abide in Him, submit to His will, and ask what He’s looking to teach us in the process. He knows our hearts before we even call out on His name.

“Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear (Isaiah 65:24).”

I recently started using music as a way to pray (thanks for the idea Tai East). There was a song I had on repeat this week by Hillsong called “Take Heart.” The lyrics of which are powerful and speak to moments of brokenness. The chorus moved me to tears and the Spirit really used the lyrics to speak to my  heart:

All our troubles
And all our tears
God our hope
He has overcome

All our failure
And all our fear
God our love
He has overcome

All our heartache
And all our pain
God our healer
He has overcome

All our burdens
And all our shame
God our freedom
He has overcome

God our justice
God our grace
God our freedom
He has overcome

God our refuge
God our strength
God is with us
He has overcome

There is nothing like a season of brokenness to humble and remind  that while justified in the eyes of The Lord, we are still sinful human beings. Once saved, we may be freed from the clutches of the enemy and no longer in bondage to sin, but we still need to continually seek out what it means to live in a right relationship with God. This process allows us to lift God and Christ crucified up to a higher level in our lives than ever before. It helps us to continually work out the sin in our life, and come to a deeper understanding of His divine character and grace.

After we endure our greatest brokenness,
we experience the deepest blessings.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).”

Father, I want to thank you for the moments you are present even when I lose focus. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your grace. You see the end of my brokenness and know the blessings you have in store are worth the wait. Help me to yield to your will and the purpose you have in store for my life. Let me surrender to your desires and in the process become more like You.  In Jesus name, amen!

Note: this post is adapted from a book I read back in my early twenties. If any of what I wrote tugs at your heart I’d like to highly recommend the book that inspired this post, The Blessings of Brokenness, by Charles Stanley.