Part 1- Brokenness

Imagine you are standing in the front yard of a house that you have lived in your whole life. Trying not to look conspicuous, you look down the road anxiously waiting for the builder to arrive. Looking back at your house, you cringe and think, I must figure out what needs to be done to restore this house! The house’s appearance gives off an air of neglect. As you look at the mess, you hear a rumble of a truck drive up and pull into your driveway.

Nervously, you wait for him to get out. Wearing a Carhartt shirt and khakis, the builder walks towards you. The man has weathered features, but he appears to possess great strength.

With his reading glasses on his head, he smiles and says, “Howdy, I’m the builder. It seems like you need some work done on your house.” You smile sheepishly. He continues, “Let’s look at the outside first.”

Standing with a full view of the front of the house, heat comes to your cheek, and shame fills your heart.

With concern in his eyes and care in his voice, he starts to ask, “What happened to the shingles?”

Looking to the ground, you say, “Oh, there was a storm a few years back, but we didn’t get it fixed. The roof leaks.”

He shakes his head in acknowledgement and says, “What about the door?”

“Oh, it fell off the hinge, and the lock doesn’t work anymore. We don’t use the front door very much.”  He then walks along the back of the house and sees a crack that started at the base of the house that runs all the way up the side to the roof. “It happened last month,” you added, “There was a shift in the ground, causing the crack in the foundation.”

With a heavy sigh, the builder looks into your eyes. “My diagnosis is that this house is on the verge of collapse. It will not be functional if you do not put in the necessary repairs.” The man looks down with concern and asks, “Are you willing to put in the time?”

Desperate for a solid home, you reply, “I am. Please help me.”

Standing tall, he sighs, “I am telling you upfront, it will be costly in every aspect of your life, monetarily, mentally, and emotionally.”

With tears rolling down, you reply, “Tell me what I need to do.”

With a physical house, if we don’t like what we have, we can sell it and get a new one. With our physical bodies, we don’t have that option. We are only given one mind, one body, and one spirit. Although modern medicine can replace many of the non-functioning physical parts of a person, we are only given one house­­­­­ -- our being. But what do we do when we find it broken?

Brokenness is everywhere in our world, and we are broken within. Where have you experienced brokenness in your life? Have you ever been in a circumstance where you felt like everything you had built had come crashing to the ground? Did it leave you questioning, “Where are you, God?” Did you feel alone and feel like God had abandoned you? Have you doubted God's plans to prosper you and not harm you?  If someone were to evaluate your life and your being, would they diagnose it as being poorly maintained or on the verge of collapse?

Loss, broken relationships, circumstantial change, a severe health diagnosis, traumatic experiences, or unresolved past hurts can leave even the strongest person paralyzed. Anxiety, depression, insomnia, and pain can render us crippled and hiding from the world. Often, we are experts at putting on a front where everything appears to be okay when it is not. Crises and difficulties reveal the underlying spiritual, mental, and physical framework upon which our lives have been built. Crises test the purity of our intentions and our motives.

My testimony is replete with crisis. When I had a miscarriage, it left my body and my emotional state in a heap of rubble. I asked God, “Where are you in this mess?” I spoke to Him, frustrated, saying, “I had given my life to you, and I have done what you told me to do. Why are you allowing these circumstances to happen?”

The answer from God comes when we cry out in prayer and read the Bible. Much solace can be found in the lives of the Israelites. In the Bible, the account of Israel’s history is transformational as it gives voice to our struggles and frustrations. Israel’s story is our story. We can relate to them in so many ways. Throughout this blog series, I will draw on the Israelites’ experiences to guide us toward the truth. Our cries are not met with deaf ears when we seek God to answer our deep questions.

We are not the only ones to cry out to God. A prophet in the Old Testament, named Habakkuk, asked the very same questions of God. Habakkuk cried out, “Oh Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you, “Violence!” and you will not save?” (Hab1:2 ESV) He continues to lament the brokenness and injustice in the world. Habakkuk is a book of lament poems. Lament is a word meaning to express grief and sorrow. Lament can be found in other places of the Bible (see Psalms 6, 32, and 38, to name just a few).

The First Set of Keys to Building Home:

1. Evaluate Brokenness: We cannot accomplish this on our own. Talk with Jesus and invite him into the process. As the builder, he will reveal the brokenness that we are not able to identify on our own. He asks us to partner with Him in the building process. Consider the various seasons of storms. List the difficulties you have experienced and their effect upon you. (e.g., regretful decisions, relational or spiritual wounds, or circumstances out of your control, etc.)

2. Practice Lament: Since lament means to express deep regret, grief, and sorrow. You can express your lament by talking about it with someone you trust. Other ways to express lament include writing, crying, groaning, singing, painting, or dancing.  

3. Write It Down: Writing your words gives clarity to thoughts and emotions. Express grief and sorrow by journaling about experiences that have negatively impacted your life and the regret of the choices you've made.

 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17 ESV)

The keys of evaluating brokenness and practicing lament will stir in us a thirst. When we are physically thirsty, we will do anything to quench that thirst. Spiritually, a thirst within our hearts will lead us to seek out spiritual water. The only source of spiritual water that will forever satisfy comes from Jesus. He is the only one who can help us fully identify the areas of brokenness. See John 4. There is hope, seek Him, and we will find him and be spiritually satisfied. To know Him more, click here. The Healing Center is designed to guide you through the steps of connecting with the only living water that will forever satisfy the soul.

Jesus, the builder, looks down at us and says, “This is going to take a lot of work, but I promise you in the end it will be worth it. You are not alone. Are you ready to make a change?” He will do the work, and he asks us to partner with Him in the building process.

Your worth is immeasurable. You have been bought at a price. You are loved.