There is a different type of brokenness that is a product of what we have been subjected to through traumas and catastrophes that we suffer in life’s experiences. The Spirit of God brings about healing such broken heartedness. To be broken is to be shattered in thoughts and emotions.

The word that also conveys the thought of our discussion here is what the old King James calls a “Contrite heart”. See Ish. 57:15 and chapter 66:2. He who trembles at His Word has a special place in the heart of God. So brokenness has to do with humility, teachable ness (another word for meekness). It is part of what is being worked out as we go through God’s processes in our movement to the place called finish in the plans of God. When God can change our minds, plans and give direction to our lives without us resisting Him and fighting His ways and purposes for our lives. We are able to bring everything in us to the place of alignment with God in every possible way. Every one who has successfully walked with God has had to allow Him to choose the path they walked. They allowed Him to be God in their lives and they got broken through the dealings of God in their lives. They cooperated with God’s ways and through their dependence on Him they were able to do great exploits. Can you think of anyone who walked with God without letting Him be their joy, their strength and their focus? They did not use God to simply achieve their desires but rather they sought to achieve God’s desires over and above theirs. Some how I think many today conceive of God in terms of their external experiences, namely the blessings in the natural, not necessarily the internal conditions of their hearts. Could this be why deception is so rampant amongst believers?

How would you feel if you were brought up in Pharaoh’s court and upon sensing the call of God you stepped out only to find rejection by your people and end up spending 40 years with the sheepfold? Or you find yourself being betrayed by your brothers for no just cause and God did not destroy them suddenly. Their ability to keep on keeping on without allowing bitterness of the seeming injustice to pollute their hearts is a measure of brokenness. A willingness to yield to God and bounce back in the face of seeming disappointment and trusting God with the final outcome of our lives is a sign of this virtue called Brokenness.

The story of Esther is an example of a life that teaches us the reality of this virtue and the necessity of developing it in our lives to enhance our fulfilment of our destinies in God. Esther obeyed Mordecai who became her protector or surrogate father. She did not disclose her nationality as advised by Mordecai. She did not even ask “why?”. She eventually became queen and when the crisis happened, she was challenged to do something about it. “Who knows if you are in the kingdom for such a time as this”, he says and demanded action from her. In the natural there was not much she could do, but because of her respect for Mordecai, she did not query his stance, rather she took the challenge to God in prayer. In our world today, she could have come up a million other utterances like “You take too much on yourself, who are you to tell me what to do?” “I am now queen and you are not to tell me what to do?” She did not go down that route at all, she was trained, and had been exercised in being corrected and so could adjust to new instructions for her life. She did not break ranks nor allow selfishness to destroy her relationship with Mordecai. It is such yeildedness I call brokenness. What if she simply thought Mordecai was trying to make her feel guilty for being in a position of honour higher than himself put her in an awkward position that could jeopardise her position and probably her life? The areas of our lives where we fall on the rock we get broken. We get help that is from Him and this builds strength in us. When we endure the contradictions of man and set our hearts on obedience, brokenness begins take place in our lives. God’s strength flows in the areas of our brokenness. Hebrew 12, from verse 3 highlight the process of brokenness. Jesus endured the contradictions of sinners against himself. He did not complain to God once about all He suffered in the hands of mere men. The chastening and rebuke of the Lord are the steps in the process and it is those that are exercised in these that reap the fruit of righteousness unto themselves according to verse 11 of Hebrews chapter 12. The scripture says no chastening is joyous but grievous and the Lord corrects those He receive as sons. Coming into sonship with God demands our ability to take corrections and move on in obedience. We must not allow ourselves to be discouraged to the hanging down of our hands and knees.

The virtues that go along with Brokenness are teachable ness, easy to be corrected, willingness to obey and easy to corrected without offence or pride. Yeildedness to God brings wholeness into our lives. Wholeness is when in our dependence on God, we take our rightful positions and with joy do His will.

Part of the virtues is being able to position ourselves to receive fresh instructions like the wife of the prophet who died and debtors were on her case to take their children, she received instruction from Elisha and came back for more instructions from the prophet. That ability to avoid being presumptuous and ask for direction and counsel is what this is about. God usually directs those who fear Him and are contrite in heart. The fear of God, meekness and brokenness all enhance our walk with God towards our destiny. Many psalms talk about the heart of a man who had been touched by God. Psalms 112 and 25 talks about the heart being established and knowing the covenant of God as revealed to those who had His fear in their hearts.

Stay yielded and teachable in God!

Jesus is Lord!

Rev Kola Ewuosho