Psalm 34:18 – “The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”    NKJV

In the natural world, broken things are despised and thrown out.  Sometimes there is an effort to fix that which is broken but in much of today’s world, it is deemed more desirable to replace rather than repair.  Damaged goods are rejected and that includes people.  We see it frequently.

In marriage when difficulty arises, and relationships become strained it is a far too common tendency to “walk away” rather than go through the incredibly difficult and often painful process of reconciliation.  The world is filled with broken people, broken hearts, broken relationships, and broken lives.  We “walk away” but God comes in and “restores.”  David, a man after God’s own heart, was a broken man at one point.  He cried in Psalm 51 for God to create in him a clean/pure heart and in verse 17 declared, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise.”   God is near the brokenhearted and His compassion opens the door to His Grace.

We toss broken things aside, but God restores and renews making the repaired better than the original.  A man or a woman that walks with a limp from brokenness will be mightier than someone who has never been broken.  They will walk in humility for they understand firsthand that their gift, ability, talent, and/or success is not based on them but God’s incredible Grace!  Without the broken body of our Lord Jesus, we could not be restored and healed.

It is in brokenness that we realize how much we need Him.  It was not until I realized and admitted my sin that God could come in and rescue me from the darkness.  It was not until I found myself hopeless (broken) that He could come in and infuse hope into my being.  When we come to that place of brokenness that we no longer strive to do it ourselves but are totally dependent upon His grace we will live beneath that life He came to bring.

My friend, Dennis Davis from San Antonio, Texas says, “I don’t trust a man who doesn’t walk with a limp.”  He was referring to brokenness spiritually as with Jacob who wrestled with God and forever walked with a limp from God’s touch.  His brokenness transformed him from a supplanter to a prince with God.  Had he never been broken he would never have been the patriarch of the twelve tribes of Israel.  His greatness came through His brokenness.  The same can be said of David, Job, Paul, Samson, Gideon, Moses, Abraham, and the heroes of faith of the Bible.  We are broken but never discarded by the Father.

May the Lord transform your brokenness into victory and strength in Him! 

Blessings as you go through this day in Him!