BROKENNESS

“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.”
Psalm 34:12
The Amplified Bible

Brokenness is not a very popular topic. Yet, God desires that every believer experience the power of being broken. Before brokenness occurs, one can be dependent on their ability, education, financial status, pedigree, etc., which results in pride, arrogance and an independent spirit. True brokenness will result in complete dependence upon God. For some, it may take years of adversity, suffering, trouble, and pain to finally be rid of self-centeredness, self-confidence and self-love. God’s desire is that the treasure that he has deposited in earthen vessels will be manifested and offered to Him as the sweet fragrance of obedience, submission and reliance upon Him. This can only be successful if the vessel has been broken.
Those who wish to know God and be an instrument of righteousness for the kingdom of God must go through a progressive humbling and breaking of their will, dispositions, natural skills, ambitions and strengths. Although these attributes may be good they can be a hindrance to relying on the work of the Holy Spirit. They each must go through a type of death process and be resurrected in humility and true dependence on God. God has deposited the fullness of Himself in each and every believer. The problem is not that we need more of God, it is that we need less of ourselves so that He can be seen in all of His splendor and brightness. The more broken we are the more Christ can be revealed in and through us. The tendency is to love and cherish the alabaster box more than the precious ointment that is within. The box must be broken for the contents to be released.
We must understand that in our flesh dwells no good thing. It is this realization that should drive us to humility and utter dependence and reliance upon the power of God to sustain us. Brokenness is very closely associated with humility. It requires the working of the Holy Spirit to bring us to the realization of presumption, pride, hypocrisy, deceit, delusion, formality, and self-righteousness in our hearts. This realization comes through suffering and the dealings of the Lord.
Are you experiencing the dealings of the Lord? Are you broken hearted, not only for the sin in others and the world, but about the sin in your life? Are you truly crushed and truly repentant for sin? God draws close to those who are broken before Him in humility and submission.