Do you ever have the broken feeling? You know the one. It feels like the rest of the world is marching forward, but you're just spinning your wheels. You watch as others celebrate the victories you wished you had. You know you should rejoice with them, but you can't help but wonder what is wrong with you.
Maybe you feel like your prayers aren't being heard, or worse God has chosen to leave you in your rebellion.
You feel your soul shrinking by the hour. The light of hope wanes, and the darkness begins to close in on you. You feel alone in a crowd, and have to struggle to get through the day. You're always worried that people will see your brokenness, and reject you.
You hunger for change, but dread that it will take you to places you don't want to go. Or worse, if you attempt to change, you'll only fail (again). So you fold your expectations away, put them in a box, and stuff them in the darkest corner of the closet of your heart.
You just keep messing up. You're starting to wonder if you were ever truly saved. Why hasn't Jesus stepped in to save the day? Even as the words enter your mind, you know they are wrong, but you can't stop thinking them.
You feel like you're backed in a corner. There is no one who can help you. If you tell anyone, they only confirm your worst fears--you are a deceived hypocrite without any hope of salvation.
What if that broken feeling was meant to make you stop running? What if it was meant to bring you to a place of surrender? What if God is really telling you, "Stop flopping around, I have got you. I won't let you go."
The truth is there are people to whom you can talk. The Lord has not nor will he forsake you. There comes a time during those broken moments when we have to stop thrashing around in our self-pity and limited perspective. We just have to yield to the wisdom of the Lord, and cry out, "Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord be my helper" (Psalm 30:10).
Showing posts with label Brokenness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brokenness. Show all posts
Friday, December 7, 2012
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Broken Beyond Repair?
Have you ever been overwhelmed by a profound sense of being broken? I'm not speaking of kind of broken spoken of by David in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." I mean do you ever feel like you are damaged goods. Do you look at the shards of your life, and find them overwhelming.
While sitting in a meeting tonight, it hit me tonight. For a brief and intensely uncomfortable moment, I felt broken beyond repair. It felt like I was only fit for the garbage pile. I felt childhood wounds burst open with a pus-like flow of negative emotions. Memories cauterized by time were ripped open, scars, long healed, were opened anew as well. In that moment, I felt like a shattered vase.
The truth is we are all broken. You may not feel it, but you are. The whole human race is in ruins. Sin has ruined our fair race, and enslaved us to brokenness. As Paul states, "We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). We are all broken, and are only fit for destruction.
However, destruction is not the desire of God's heart. Peter states, "the Lord . . . is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9, ESV). Even though we should receive death, because of the sin in our lives, God in his grace welcomes us to come to him through Jesus Christ the Son (see Rom. 6:23). As we reflect on the brokenness sin has inflicted in our lives, it is easy to say with Paul, "Wretched man that I am! Who will save me from this body of death?" (Rom 7:24, ESV).
If we will cry out in earnestness with Paul we can share in his consolation: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 7:25-8:1, ESV).
If you feel broken beyond repair, if your emotional scars feel ragged and fresh, if you yearn to put the pieces back together, then reach out, in faith, and cling to Christ Jesus. Are you ready to place yourself in his hands and allow him to mend your brokenness? He is able to transform the shards of your life into a work of beauty.
While sitting in a meeting tonight, it hit me tonight. For a brief and intensely uncomfortable moment, I felt broken beyond repair. It felt like I was only fit for the garbage pile. I felt childhood wounds burst open with a pus-like flow of negative emotions. Memories cauterized by time were ripped open, scars, long healed, were opened anew as well. In that moment, I felt like a shattered vase.
The truth is we are all broken. You may not feel it, but you are. The whole human race is in ruins. Sin has ruined our fair race, and enslaved us to brokenness. As Paul states, "We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). We are all broken, and are only fit for destruction.
However, destruction is not the desire of God's heart. Peter states, "the Lord . . . is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9, ESV). Even though we should receive death, because of the sin in our lives, God in his grace welcomes us to come to him through Jesus Christ the Son (see Rom. 6:23). As we reflect on the brokenness sin has inflicted in our lives, it is easy to say with Paul, "Wretched man that I am! Who will save me from this body of death?" (Rom 7:24, ESV).
If we will cry out in earnestness with Paul we can share in his consolation: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 7:25-8:1, ESV).
If you feel broken beyond repair, if your emotional scars feel ragged and fresh, if you yearn to put the pieces back together, then reach out, in faith, and cling to Christ Jesus. Are you ready to place yourself in his hands and allow him to mend your brokenness? He is able to transform the shards of your life into a work of beauty.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Confessing Our Sins to One Another
This article was originally published here, on July 21, 2009.
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working" (James 5:16).
This Scripture was driven home recently when I witnessed people in a twelve step program confessing their "regrets" to individuals they had hurt. I had heard that many recovery programs had a step in which the person who was recovering had to make amends to the people they had injured, but I hadn't actually witnessed it.
I have to admit it was very moving to witness people confessing their sins to one another. Although they spoke of regrets, it was really sin they were naming. It was refreshing to see people deal with their sin in an unmasked, frank, and humble manner. Yet, I kept wondering why we don't see this kind of honesty in the church. Why are we ashamed to confess our sins before each other in the church? Why is it a rare thing to witness brokenness and repentance within the corporate meetings?
The Church was created to be a hospital for the spiritually sick, not a resort for the spiritually fit. Granted, as we grow and mature in Christ we also grow in spiritual health, but we are still sinners saved by grace. We still struggle with sin throughout our lives on earth. We are all in continual need of repentance and faith. The kind of thing I witness should be practiced frequently within the context of the church community. However, we are so disconnected from each other that we often mention "unspoken" prayer requests. We play "catch-up" on Sunday mornings, because we haven't seen each other throughout the week. And more often than not we play the part of one who is unbroken, when deep down inside we are shattered and yearning for healing.
In reality, the church is full of fractured people. They have been broken by sin, yet they are not discarded. Christ, the Master Craftsman, is transforming them into a masterpiece designed to showcase his grace and glory. As with any construction project, it is easy to find debris in our lives during the ongoing work of sanctification. Life in community is messy. You have to live with (and love) people who are broken and sinful, just like you. Their sins may be different, but the cure is the same: Jesus.
James tells us we should be the kind of people who confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. Sin flourishes in the darkness. Confession brings it into the light. By sharing it with another we enable them to aid us in bearing the load through the process of intercession. James states, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." Repentant confession opens the door to healing.
There is some good in recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, but they were not created by God to liberate the captives. The captives can only be liberated by Christ. The Church has been given the task of aiding the liberation of captives through the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The root problem for every addict (and all humanity) is sin. The only lasting solution is the mighty Savior, Jesus. It's time for the church to step up and be what it was created to be. It's time for us redeemed sinners to start shining the light of the gospel far and wide, so that unredeemed sinners can find salvation. Then maybe, by God's grace, our churches will become the kind of place where people say, "Hello, my name is Randy and I'm a sinner saved by grace. Have you found freedom in Christ, yet?"
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working" (James 5:16).
This Scripture was driven home recently when I witnessed people in a twelve step program confessing their "regrets" to individuals they had hurt. I had heard that many recovery programs had a step in which the person who was recovering had to make amends to the people they had injured, but I hadn't actually witnessed it.
I have to admit it was very moving to witness people confessing their sins to one another. Although they spoke of regrets, it was really sin they were naming. It was refreshing to see people deal with their sin in an unmasked, frank, and humble manner. Yet, I kept wondering why we don't see this kind of honesty in the church. Why are we ashamed to confess our sins before each other in the church? Why is it a rare thing to witness brokenness and repentance within the corporate meetings?
The Church was created to be a hospital for the spiritually sick, not a resort for the spiritually fit. Granted, as we grow and mature in Christ we also grow in spiritual health, but we are still sinners saved by grace. We still struggle with sin throughout our lives on earth. We are all in continual need of repentance and faith. The kind of thing I witness should be practiced frequently within the context of the church community. However, we are so disconnected from each other that we often mention "unspoken" prayer requests. We play "catch-up" on Sunday mornings, because we haven't seen each other throughout the week. And more often than not we play the part of one who is unbroken, when deep down inside we are shattered and yearning for healing.
In reality, the church is full of fractured people. They have been broken by sin, yet they are not discarded. Christ, the Master Craftsman, is transforming them into a masterpiece designed to showcase his grace and glory. As with any construction project, it is easy to find debris in our lives during the ongoing work of sanctification. Life in community is messy. You have to live with (and love) people who are broken and sinful, just like you. Their sins may be different, but the cure is the same: Jesus.
James tells us we should be the kind of people who confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. Sin flourishes in the darkness. Confession brings it into the light. By sharing it with another we enable them to aid us in bearing the load through the process of intercession. James states, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." Repentant confession opens the door to healing.
There is some good in recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, but they were not created by God to liberate the captives. The captives can only be liberated by Christ. The Church has been given the task of aiding the liberation of captives through the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The root problem for every addict (and all humanity) is sin. The only lasting solution is the mighty Savior, Jesus. It's time for the church to step up and be what it was created to be. It's time for us redeemed sinners to start shining the light of the gospel far and wide, so that unredeemed sinners can find salvation. Then maybe, by God's grace, our churches will become the kind of place where people say, "Hello, my name is Randy and I'm a sinner saved by grace. Have you found freedom in Christ, yet?"
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Confessing Our Sins to One Another
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working" (James 5:16).
This Scripture was driven home recently when I witnessed people in a twelve step program confessing their "regrets" to individuals they had hurt. I had heard that many recovery programs had a step in which the person who was recovering had to make amends to the people they had injured, but I hadn't actually witnessed it.
I have to admit it was very moving to witness people confessing their sins to one another. Although they spoke of regrets, it was really sin they were naming. It was refreshing to see people deal with their sin in an unmasked, frank, and humble manner. Yet, I kept wondering why we don't see this kind of honesty in the church. Why are we ashamed to confess our sins before each other in the church? Why is it a rare thing to witness brokenness and repentance within the corporate meetings?
The Church was created to be a hospital for the spiritually sick, not a resort for the spiritually fit. Granted, as we grow and mature in Christ we also grow in spiritual health, but we are still sinners saved by grace. We still struggle with sin throughout our lives on earth. We are all in continual need of repentance and faith. The kind of thing I witness should be practiced frequently within the context of the church community. However, we are so disconnected from each other that we often mention "unspoken" prayer requests. We play "catch-up" on Sunday mornings, because we haven't seen each other throughout the week. And more often than not we play the part of one who is unbroken, when deep down inside we are shattered and yearning for healing.
The simple fact is the church is full of fractured people. They have been broken by sin, yet they are not discarded. Christ, the Master Craftsman, is transforming them into a masterpiece designed to showcase his grace and glory. As with any construction project, it is easy to find debris in our lives during the ongoing work of sanctification. Life in community is messy. You have to live with (and love) people who are broken and sinful, just like you. Their sins may be different, but the cure is the same: Jesus.
James tells us we should be the kind of people who confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. Sin flourishes in the darkness. Confession brings it into the light. By sharing it with another we enable them to aid us in bearing the load through the process of intercession. James states, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." Repentant confession opens the door to healing.
There is some good in recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, but they were not created by God to liberate the captives. No, it was the Church that God created to liberate the captives through the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The root problem for every addict (and all humanity) is sin. The only lasting solution is the mighty Savior, Jesus. It's time for the church to step up and be what she was created to be. It's time for us redeemed sinners to start shining the light of the gospel far and wide, so that unredeemed sinners can find salvation. And maybe, by God's grace, our churches will become the kind of place where people say, "Hello, my name is Randy and I'm a sinner saved by grace. Have you found freedom in Christ, yet?"
This Scripture was driven home recently when I witnessed people in a twelve step program confessing their "regrets" to individuals they had hurt. I had heard that many recovery programs had a step in which the person who was recovering had to make amends to the people they had injured, but I hadn't actually witnessed it.
I have to admit it was very moving to witness people confessing their sins to one another. Although they spoke of regrets, it was really sin they were naming. It was refreshing to see people deal with their sin in an unmasked, frank, and humble manner. Yet, I kept wondering why we don't see this kind of honesty in the church. Why are we ashamed to confess our sins before each other in the church? Why is it a rare thing to witness brokenness and repentance within the corporate meetings?
The Church was created to be a hospital for the spiritually sick, not a resort for the spiritually fit. Granted, as we grow and mature in Christ we also grow in spiritual health, but we are still sinners saved by grace. We still struggle with sin throughout our lives on earth. We are all in continual need of repentance and faith. The kind of thing I witness should be practiced frequently within the context of the church community. However, we are so disconnected from each other that we often mention "unspoken" prayer requests. We play "catch-up" on Sunday mornings, because we haven't seen each other throughout the week. And more often than not we play the part of one who is unbroken, when deep down inside we are shattered and yearning for healing.
The simple fact is the church is full of fractured people. They have been broken by sin, yet they are not discarded. Christ, the Master Craftsman, is transforming them into a masterpiece designed to showcase his grace and glory. As with any construction project, it is easy to find debris in our lives during the ongoing work of sanctification. Life in community is messy. You have to live with (and love) people who are broken and sinful, just like you. Their sins may be different, but the cure is the same: Jesus.
James tells us we should be the kind of people who confess our sins to one another and pray for one another. Sin flourishes in the darkness. Confession brings it into the light. By sharing it with another we enable them to aid us in bearing the load through the process of intercession. James states, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." Repentant confession opens the door to healing.
There is some good in recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, but they were not created by God to liberate the captives. No, it was the Church that God created to liberate the captives through the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The root problem for every addict (and all humanity) is sin. The only lasting solution is the mighty Savior, Jesus. It's time for the church to step up and be what she was created to be. It's time for us redeemed sinners to start shining the light of the gospel far and wide, so that unredeemed sinners can find salvation. And maybe, by God's grace, our churches will become the kind of place where people say, "Hello, my name is Randy and I'm a sinner saved by grace. Have you found freedom in Christ, yet?"
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