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Brokenness gives a Christian his strength. This is a truth summed up by Paul while he was speaking of his many trials and frailties.
"And He(God) has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.".-2 Cor 12:9-10
Brokenness with faith leads to strength (Hebrews 11:32-34). Not this silly human strength that we think we have, but true God transforming power. Power that changes us and impacts the world for eternity. You can’t be a christian without some degree of brokenness (see 1 john 5:5-10). Because when we are close to God we see the truth of how sinful we really are and it breaks us of trusting in our own goodness. Before God revealed himself to me (metaphorically that is) I thought I was a good person and that I could get myself into heaven, but when I saw God’s holiness I was broken, and realized I was sinful. You can’t know the true God and not be changed. Every record on men encountering God, and Jesus in his fullness, results in that person falling quickly to their knees. The best example of this is found one of my favorite sections of scriptures :
"In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him,each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,Thewhole earth is full of His glory." And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." -Isaiah 6:1-5
Our degree of brokenness is in direct proportion to how close we are to God. There are many times in my life, too many, when I feel strong and feel self sufficient, like I can take on the world and sin with my own goodness. But I long for the periods in my christian walk where I am aware of God’s presence, aware of my sin, and am driven to my knees. I long to live my life in a fear and awe of God that propels me to do God’s work in His way, because when I am in that place I know that God is working through little ole me. Amazing.
-Cory Matthews
"And He(God) has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.".-2 Cor 12:9-10
Brokenness with faith leads to strength (Hebrews 11:32-34). Not this silly human strength that we think we have, but true God transforming power. Power that changes us and impacts the world for eternity. You can’t be a christian without some degree of brokenness (see 1 john 5:5-10). Because when we are close to God we see the truth of how sinful we really are and it breaks us of trusting in our own goodness. Before God revealed himself to me (metaphorically that is) I thought I was a good person and that I could get myself into heaven, but when I saw God’s holiness I was broken, and realized I was sinful. You can’t know the true God and not be changed. Every record on men encountering God, and Jesus in his fullness, results in that person falling quickly to their knees. The best example of this is found one of my favorite sections of scriptures :
"In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him,each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,Thewhole earth is full of His glory." And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." -Isaiah 6:1-5
Our degree of brokenness is in direct proportion to how close we are to God. There are many times in my life, too many, when I feel strong and feel self sufficient, like I can take on the world and sin with my own goodness. But I long for the periods in my christian walk where I am aware of God’s presence, aware of my sin, and am driven to my knees. I long to live my life in a fear and awe of God that propels me to do God’s work in His way, because when I am in that place I know that God is working through little ole me. Amazing.
-Cory Matthews