“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)
2 Samuel 18:33-19:8,
“Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: 'O my son Absalom -my son, my son Absalom- if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!' And Joab was told, 'Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.' So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people had heard it said that day, 'The king is grieved for his son.' And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, 'O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!'
Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, 'Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.' Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, 'There is the king, sitting in the gate.' So all the people came before the king. For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent.”
John Maxwell notes in my Bible commentary, “Maturity comes when God breaks a leader... The armies of Absalom and King David came to blows over who would lead Israel, and the old king reasserted his rule. David's troops not only routed his son's armies; they also killed Absalom himself. Yet David couldn't rejoice, even though his rebellious son's death ended the war. His family had fallen far. Absalom was dead. Amnon was dead. Tamar had been raped. Many who remained had grown twisted and sick. And David cried out in brokenness. In this broken state, God began to restore David to the man he once was, the man after His own heart. David regained his resolve to lead his country and leave a worthwhile legacy. He crushed other revolts, killed other giants, restored Israel. In many ways, David matured to a new level as a leader through this awful season of brokenness. Broken boldness now characterized his leadership.” [1]
To be broken means to be subdued or brought low in condition or status. [2] David Johnson, in his book “Joy Comes in the Mourning,” defines brokenness as a poverty in spirit, coming to the end of oneself, resulting in dependence upon God. Jesus says in Mathew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Pastor Dave writes, “The Greek word for poor in spirit is ptochos, and its expanded nuance includes 'one who is reduced to begging dependence; one who is broken.'” [3]
Isiah 57:15 declares: "For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'”
One can be broken over their own sin in repentance when they come face to face with what they did wrong. This happened for David when Nathan confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba. David repented and cried out in Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart--these, O God, You will not despise.”
Job also experienced brokenness. Job went through severe suffering, losing all that belonged to him and he accused God of being unjust in the midst of it. Until Elihu helped Job to hear God in the midst of his pain, Job held tightly to his self-righteous integrity (Job 27:1-6). God broke him of his self righteousness and self sufficiency and Job finally repents.
God tells Job, “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.” And Job answers, “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” (Job 40:2-5)
In his brokenness, Job came to a new level of maturity in his relationship with God. He tells God, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Psalm 42:5-6).
Repentance from sin is not the only way to experience brokenness. One can experience difficult circumstances, hardships, weaknesses, and/or persecution resulting in brokenness. In 2 Cor. 12:7-10 Paul notes, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Jesus experienced brokenness at in the Garden of Gethsemane. Deeply sorrowful and distressed, even to death, He fell on His face and prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then he came back a second time and prayed, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:39, 42)
A commentary notes about these Scriptures,
And this article notes, Paul writes in Philippians 2:5-8,
Brokenness involves surrendering all our rights and self interests to God. [7] Galatians 2:20 says,"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Thomas Kempis writes, “If you wish peace and concord with others, you must learn to break your will in many things... you must consider yourself a pilgrim, an exile on earth... He who seeks anything but God alone and the salvation of his soul will find only trouble and grief, and he who does not try to become the least, the servant of all, cannot remain at peace for long. You have come to serve, not to rule. You must understand, too, that you have been called to suffer and to work... Here no man can remain unless he desires with all his heart to humble himself before God.” [8]
“Worry not my daughter, worry not my son, child when life don't seem worth liv'n, come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms” sings.
God often uses our day-to-day difficult circumstances to humble us and break us. And in this place of brokenness, God can begin to use us as his servants. He cannot use us when we are full of ourselves and looking out for our rights. We first need to be broken.
Matthew 5:3 in the MSG translation says about brokenness, “With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”
One article notes the difference between self rule and Christ's rule in one's life: [9]
"SELF______________CHRIST
Irritable______________ Patient
Touchy (Sensitive)_______Understanding
Proud________________Humble
Critical_______________Forgiving
Jealous_______________Happy when others succeed
Prone to anger_________ Forbearing
Focused on rights_______ Sacrificial (yields rights)
Self-seeking___________Servant attitude
Self-centered__________GOD-centered"
God uses our difficulties, hardships, and weaknesses to work brokenness into our lives. Pastor Dave writes, “The grace of God is sufficient for all circumstances and His power is actually perfected through human weaknesses. This is not about becoming wimpy or whiny -it's about becoming dependent on Christ for every detail of our lives.” [10]
God used Hagar's difficult circumstances with Sarai, her mistress, to work brokenness into her life. Sarai afflicted and humbled Hagar, treating her harshly because Hagar didn't esteem Sarai when she became pregnant with Abram's child. Then when Hagar fled, God spoke to Hagar in the place of the wilderness. He acknowledged her and comforted her in her pain. At the same time, He spoke to her not to flee from the affliction but go through it. The Angel of the Lord told her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand... I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” Hagar called God, “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, 'Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” (Gen. 16:13)
The second time Hagar fled to the wilderness is when she was cast out by Abraham and Sarah with her son. As the water in her water skin ran out, she placed her son under one of the shrubs. “Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, 'Let me not see the death of the boy.' So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.” (Genesis 21:15-16)
This time God did not focus on her. [a] Rather, God called Hagar out in her brokenness to attend to her son. God told Hagar, “Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.' Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.” (Genesis 21:17-20)
It was in the place of brokenness that Hagar was made God's servant. She let go of herself and stepped outside her own pain. Cast off by Abraham and despised by Sarah, Hagar did not have a sole to look to or depend upon. She was thirsty, tired and didn't know how to provide for her son. Yet in this place, she found she could depend upon God. When everything in her life fell through, she found that God was sufficient. And as she let go of herself, she served God's greater purpose – raising her son and bringing him into all God had for him as a great nation.
Some days ago I had a dream. I don't think it was a dream from God but it still spoke to me. I was climbing to get somewhere I was supposed to go. I put all my energy and effort into it. As I was climbing, there was someone I cared about following close behind me. I was making the way and they followed where I stepped. When I got to the top, what I discovered is that it was not about me. It was about the woman following behind me. It was her calling and I was bringing her to where she needed to be to meet with this older woman (I believe the older woman represented God). When we got there, this woman who had came with me was not fully receiving everything the older woman had for her so I prayed for her. As I laid my hands on her and prayed, she fully received everything God had for her.
It felt like such an honor to bring this woman to where she was supposed to be and to have the privilege to pray for her there so she could receive everything the older woman had for her. At the same time, I also realized there was a sense of disappointment in me about it. I wasn't overflowing with joy as I usually am to see God's will come to pass. I wanted something more. There was part of me that longed for some sort of recognition or acknowledgment for myself.
I think what I realize is that serving God is going to feel disappointing to me if I am looking to get something out of it. What I really need to be fulfilled in giving my life away for others is depth in my own relationship with God. It is an incredible honor for God to use someone for His purposes in other's lives. At the same time, it is going to leave me discontented and disappointed if I am looking for anything other than my own personal relationship with God to fill me.
“All I ask, all I desire, is to live in Your house all of my days... Keeper of all the stars, friend of the poorest heart, touch me and make me whole.”
John's disciples came to John and told him about Jesus, “behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” John responded to them, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:29-30)
John had tremendous joy about God's will being fulfilled, even at his own expense, because his joy was found in his friendship with Jesus. His relationship with God so filled him that everything that was in line with God's will brought Him joy.
Proverbs 21:15 says, “For the virtuous man it is a joy to execute justice, but it brings dismay to evil doers.”
“Come you who mourn, lay on His breast”
In Matthew 5:4 Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” There is joy in our struggles, pain, grief, and repenting from sin when we allow Jesus to provide us with His comfort. We come to realize that He is what matters most and He is there with us in all that we walk through. When all the dust clears, what is most precious is His friendship.
“If to Heaven's heights I fly
You are still beside me,
Or in death's dark shadows lie,
You will stay close by me.
If I flee on morning wings
Far across the gray sea,
Even there your hand will lead,
Your right hand will guide me” sings.
In John 15:15, Jesus says, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Jesus makes His will known to us because what He desires is not that we would just serve Him and obey Him, but that we would have an intimate relationship with Him. Much more than our service, He desires our friendship.
What I also notice about Hagar's story was that what God gave Hagar to tend to in forgetting about herself was something that connected deeply with her heart – her own child. It was not a religious work of charity that God called her to, but a work of the heart - putting her hands to what her heart prompted.
Whether God gives us those things that we deeply care about to pour our hearts into or God gives us deep care for those things He would have us pour our hearts into – it seems that there is often a relationship between those things that we care deeply about and what God calls us to nurture and tend to.
Lord, forgive me where I have resisted and ran from brokenness. You choose to dwell with those who are contrite and lowly in spirit. Please work this deeper into my life, even if it means adversity.
You are worth it all. Thank you for being our closest friend, our refuge and the place we can find solace. Would you fill us with joy in doing your will. We desire to serve You from full hearts.
1. Maxwell, John. The Maxwell Leadership Bible, Second Edition. NKJV. Lessons in Leadership from the Word of God. Thomas Nelson. Nashville, Tennessee. 2007.
2. Dictionary Definition: Broken. Google Search. Located at: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4ACAW_en___US336&defl=en&q=define:broken&sa=X&ei=A_nyTOrwF42onQfIodWvCg&ved=0CBMQkAE Last Accessed: 11/30/10.
3, 10. Johnson, David with Allen, Tom. Joy Comes In the Mourning ...and other blessing in disguise. Christian Publications, Inc. Camp Hill, PA. 1998.
4. MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Mt 26:39). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
5-7, 9. Christ's Commission Fellowship. “Brokenness: The Key to Spiritual Revival.” Inspiration Storehouse: A ministry of Shepherd's Care Ministries. Located at: http://www.findthepower.com/inspirationstorehouse/topicBROKENNESS.htm Last Accessed: 11/30/10.
8. Kempis, Thomas a. The Imitation of Christ. Dover Publications, Inc. Mineola, New York. 2003.
“Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: 'O my son Absalom -my son, my son Absalom- if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!' And Joab was told, 'Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.' So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people had heard it said that day, 'The king is grieved for his son.' And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, 'O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!'
Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, 'Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.' Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, 'There is the king, sitting in the gate.' So all the people came before the king. For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent.”
John Maxwell notes in my Bible commentary, “Maturity comes when God breaks a leader... The armies of Absalom and King David came to blows over who would lead Israel, and the old king reasserted his rule. David's troops not only routed his son's armies; they also killed Absalom himself. Yet David couldn't rejoice, even though his rebellious son's death ended the war. His family had fallen far. Absalom was dead. Amnon was dead. Tamar had been raped. Many who remained had grown twisted and sick. And David cried out in brokenness. In this broken state, God began to restore David to the man he once was, the man after His own heart. David regained his resolve to lead his country and leave a worthwhile legacy. He crushed other revolts, killed other giants, restored Israel. In many ways, David matured to a new level as a leader through this awful season of brokenness. Broken boldness now characterized his leadership.” [1]
To be broken means to be subdued or brought low in condition or status. [2] David Johnson, in his book “Joy Comes in the Mourning,” defines brokenness as a poverty in spirit, coming to the end of oneself, resulting in dependence upon God. Jesus says in Mathew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Pastor Dave writes, “The Greek word for poor in spirit is ptochos, and its expanded nuance includes 'one who is reduced to begging dependence; one who is broken.'” [3]
Isiah 57:15 declares: "For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'”
One can be broken over their own sin in repentance when they come face to face with what they did wrong. This happened for David when Nathan confronted him about his sin with Bathsheba. David repented and cried out in Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart--these, O God, You will not despise.”
Job also experienced brokenness. Job went through severe suffering, losing all that belonged to him and he accused God of being unjust in the midst of it. Until Elihu helped Job to hear God in the midst of his pain, Job held tightly to his self-righteous integrity (Job 27:1-6). God broke him of his self righteousness and self sufficiency and Job finally repents.
God tells Job, “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.” And Job answers, “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.” (Job 40:2-5)
In his brokenness, Job came to a new level of maturity in his relationship with God. He tells God, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Psalm 42:5-6).
Repentance from sin is not the only way to experience brokenness. One can experience difficult circumstances, hardships, weaknesses, and/or persecution resulting in brokenness. In 2 Cor. 12:7-10 Paul notes, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Jesus experienced brokenness at in the Garden of Gethsemane. Deeply sorrowful and distressed, even to death, He fell on His face and prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then he came back a second time and prayed, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:39, 42)
A commentary notes about these Scriptures,
“Lest we think this prayer expressed reluctance or a desire to turn back, we should remember His words in John 12:27, 28: 'Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.' Therefore, in praying that the cup might pass from Him, He was not asking to be delivered from going to the cross. That was the very purpose of His coming into the world!Jesus would experience the full wrath of God, separating Him both from His Father and from the Holy Spirit (the full punishment for sin) in order to save us. His heart deeply grieved for this separation. As one article notes, “In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see a crushed and broken Jesus, yet steadfastly obedient to the Father's will. Let us also realize that God, our Father, broke His own heart when He ignored His only Beloved Son's appeal for relief, if possible, from the cup of wrath that He was about to drink.” [5]
The prayer was rhetorical, that is, it was not intended to elicit an answer but to teach us a lesson. Jesus was saying in effect, 'My Father, if there is any other way by which ungodly sinners can be saved than by My going to the cross, reveal that way now! But in all of this, I want it known that I desire nothing contrary to Your will.' What was the answer? There was none; the heavens were silent. By this eloquent silence we know that there was no other way for God to justify guilty sinners than for Christ, the sinless Savior, to die as our Substitute.” [4]
And this article notes, Paul writes in Philippians 2:5-8,
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:It goes on to say, “Brokenness is painful, costly and difficult. It is no surprise that most people resist being broken... To die to self is to be prepared to give-up one's life for Christ, to carry one's cross. God allows others to 'crucify' us, for behind each rebuke is God trying to humble us. Instead of becoming angry and resentful, our hearts must ask: "What is it in me that you want me to change, God?" [6]
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death-
even death on a cross!"
Brokenness involves surrendering all our rights and self interests to God. [7] Galatians 2:20 says,"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Thomas Kempis writes, “If you wish peace and concord with others, you must learn to break your will in many things... you must consider yourself a pilgrim, an exile on earth... He who seeks anything but God alone and the salvation of his soul will find only trouble and grief, and he who does not try to become the least, the servant of all, cannot remain at peace for long. You have come to serve, not to rule. You must understand, too, that you have been called to suffer and to work... Here no man can remain unless he desires with all his heart to humble himself before God.” [8]
“Worry not my daughter, worry not my son, child when life don't seem worth liv'n, come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms” sings.
God often uses our day-to-day difficult circumstances to humble us and break us. And in this place of brokenness, God can begin to use us as his servants. He cannot use us when we are full of ourselves and looking out for our rights. We first need to be broken.
Matthew 5:3 in the MSG translation says about brokenness, “With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”
One article notes the difference between self rule and Christ's rule in one's life: [9]
"SELF______________CHRIST
Irritable______________ Patient
Touchy (Sensitive)_______Understanding
Proud________________Humble
Critical_______________Forgiving
Jealous_______________Happy when others succeed
Prone to anger_________ Forbearing
Focused on rights_______ Sacrificial (yields rights)
Self-seeking___________Servant attitude
Self-centered__________GOD-centered"
God uses our difficulties, hardships, and weaknesses to work brokenness into our lives. Pastor Dave writes, “The grace of God is sufficient for all circumstances and His power is actually perfected through human weaknesses. This is not about becoming wimpy or whiny -it's about becoming dependent on Christ for every detail of our lives.” [10]
God used Hagar's difficult circumstances with Sarai, her mistress, to work brokenness into her life. Sarai afflicted and humbled Hagar, treating her harshly because Hagar didn't esteem Sarai when she became pregnant with Abram's child. Then when Hagar fled, God spoke to Hagar in the place of the wilderness. He acknowledged her and comforted her in her pain. At the same time, He spoke to her not to flee from the affliction but go through it. The Angel of the Lord told her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand... I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” Hagar called God, “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, 'Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” (Gen. 16:13)
The second time Hagar fled to the wilderness is when she was cast out by Abraham and Sarah with her son. As the water in her water skin ran out, she placed her son under one of the shrubs. “Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, 'Let me not see the death of the boy.' So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.” (Genesis 21:15-16)
This time God did not focus on her. [a] Rather, God called Hagar out in her brokenness to attend to her son. God told Hagar, “Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.' Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.” (Genesis 21:17-20)
It was in the place of brokenness that Hagar was made God's servant. She let go of herself and stepped outside her own pain. Cast off by Abraham and despised by Sarah, Hagar did not have a sole to look to or depend upon. She was thirsty, tired and didn't know how to provide for her son. Yet in this place, she found she could depend upon God. When everything in her life fell through, she found that God was sufficient. And as she let go of herself, she served God's greater purpose – raising her son and bringing him into all God had for him as a great nation.
Some days ago I had a dream. I don't think it was a dream from God but it still spoke to me. I was climbing to get somewhere I was supposed to go. I put all my energy and effort into it. As I was climbing, there was someone I cared about following close behind me. I was making the way and they followed where I stepped. When I got to the top, what I discovered is that it was not about me. It was about the woman following behind me. It was her calling and I was bringing her to where she needed to be to meet with this older woman (I believe the older woman represented God). When we got there, this woman who had came with me was not fully receiving everything the older woman had for her so I prayed for her. As I laid my hands on her and prayed, she fully received everything God had for her.
It felt like such an honor to bring this woman to where she was supposed to be and to have the privilege to pray for her there so she could receive everything the older woman had for her. At the same time, I also realized there was a sense of disappointment in me about it. I wasn't overflowing with joy as I usually am to see God's will come to pass. I wanted something more. There was part of me that longed for some sort of recognition or acknowledgment for myself.
I think what I realize is that serving God is going to feel disappointing to me if I am looking to get something out of it. What I really need to be fulfilled in giving my life away for others is depth in my own relationship with God. It is an incredible honor for God to use someone for His purposes in other's lives. At the same time, it is going to leave me discontented and disappointed if I am looking for anything other than my own personal relationship with God to fill me.
“All I ask, all I desire, is to live in Your house all of my days... Keeper of all the stars, friend of the poorest heart, touch me and make me whole.”
John's disciples came to John and told him about Jesus, “behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” John responded to them, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:29-30)
John had tremendous joy about God's will being fulfilled, even at his own expense, because his joy was found in his friendship with Jesus. His relationship with God so filled him that everything that was in line with God's will brought Him joy.
Proverbs 21:15 says, “For the virtuous man it is a joy to execute justice, but it brings dismay to evil doers.”
“Come you who mourn, lay on His breast”
In Matthew 5:4 Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” There is joy in our struggles, pain, grief, and repenting from sin when we allow Jesus to provide us with His comfort. We come to realize that He is what matters most and He is there with us in all that we walk through. When all the dust clears, what is most precious is His friendship.
“If to Heaven's heights I fly
You are still beside me,
Or in death's dark shadows lie,
You will stay close by me.
If I flee on morning wings
Far across the gray sea,
Even there your hand will lead,
Your right hand will guide me” sings.
In John 15:15, Jesus says, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
Jesus makes His will known to us because what He desires is not that we would just serve Him and obey Him, but that we would have an intimate relationship with Him. Much more than our service, He desires our friendship.
What I also notice about Hagar's story was that what God gave Hagar to tend to in forgetting about herself was something that connected deeply with her heart – her own child. It was not a religious work of charity that God called her to, but a work of the heart - putting her hands to what her heart prompted.
Whether God gives us those things that we deeply care about to pour our hearts into or God gives us deep care for those things He would have us pour our hearts into – it seems that there is often a relationship between those things that we care deeply about and what God calls us to nurture and tend to.
Lord, forgive me where I have resisted and ran from brokenness. You choose to dwell with those who are contrite and lowly in spirit. Please work this deeper into my life, even if it means adversity.
You are worth it all. Thank you for being our closest friend, our refuge and the place we can find solace. Would you fill us with joy in doing your will. We desire to serve You from full hearts.
1. Maxwell, John. The Maxwell Leadership Bible, Second Edition. NKJV. Lessons in Leadership from the Word of God. Thomas Nelson. Nashville, Tennessee. 2007.
2. Dictionary Definition: Broken. Google Search. Located at: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4ACAW_en___US336&defl=en&q=define:broken&sa=X&ei=A_nyTOrwF42onQfIodWvCg&ved=0CBMQkAE Last Accessed: 11/30/10.
3, 10. Johnson, David with Allen, Tom. Joy Comes In the Mourning ...and other blessing in disguise. Christian Publications, Inc. Camp Hill, PA. 1998.
4. MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Mt 26:39). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
5-7, 9. Christ's Commission Fellowship. “Brokenness: The Key to Spiritual Revival.” Inspiration Storehouse: A ministry of Shepherd's Care Ministries. Located at: http://www.findthepower.com/inspirationstorehouse/topicBROKENNESS.htm Last Accessed: 11/30/10.
8. Kempis, Thomas a. The Imitation of Christ. Dover Publications, Inc. Mineola, New York. 2003.
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