Anyone who truly attempts to follow Jesus and make him Lord knows that it's very hard escaping our own brokenness. As we journey on and learn more of how things should be, the more glaring that brokenness is.
In Psalm 144:3 David asks:
O Lord, what is man that you regard him,
or the son of man that you think of him?
Isn't this what we all ask when we see just how broken we are?
For me, the revelation of my brokenness is one of the hardest things to deal with as a Christ Follower.
It's so very easy to let it overwhelm us (especially me) to the point of feeling like a failure. Feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness can become paralyzing. We do things that we know are not good for us as we try to find a way to get rid of those feelings.
Then we find that all of this ugliness has the power hurt those around us. And it spirals, down, down, down from there. It's easy to stop caring and just look for the seemingly easy way out. The pain that follows is nearly unbearable.
Suddenly God doesn't feel so close. And that becomes a huge problem. We need him but can't feel his presence. I haven't really faced one of those "dark nights of the soul" but I imagine this is one way it could easily get started.
Psalm 145:18 says:
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
What a promise in the first line! But then second comes along and makes things a little harder. It's very easy to call on him. I do it every single time I am in trouble. And it's even easier to do it with what WE want as the truth being our motivation.
Lest I depress you, Psalm 145 is a wonderful read for anyone in this tough spot. As I fight battles of my own creation and those that were imposed on me, I dwell on this passage. I am broken, yes, as all creation is. But my Redeemer lives!
Verse 14 says:
The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
What a glimpse of the Gospel! I must remind myself that I still need the Gospel, everyday. May God continue to pick us up when we fall and straighten us up when life weighs heavy.
It's been a comfort to me to know that Jesus came and took my brokenness and redeemed me. Even though I still struggle with the "human condition", I realize that I am a child of God who is being formed into the image of Christ. That put's it in perspective.
Posted by: Fred | January 04, 2008 at 10:54 AM
This is such a beautiful post. I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. I just re-read all of Psalm 145 and found myself encouraged in many ways. I love the way this psalm reminds me that God does indeed love us. It's easy to get caught up in life's circumstances and think he has disappeared or doesn't care. I also like how there is this sense of provision conveyed in this psalm. God is there and all we need to do is go to him in honesty and with vulnerability, letting go of the need to cover, mask and hide.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on brokenness.
Posted by: kristine | January 04, 2008 at 11:43 AM