The Need for Brokenness ~ Chip Brogden

[i]Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (II Corinthians 12:9). [/i]

Observe how little attention is paid to the necessity of brokenness among those who so eagerly speak of the power of God. We should be afraid of listening to anyone who teaches us about the power of God but does not teach us about the necessity of brokenness. Invariably the power, once received, will pollute the spirit and pride will set in. Weakness, humility, brokenness, suffering, pouring out our lives, taking up the Cross - this language seems to be lost among the seekers of power. How tragic that is!

Good post, MC.

It begs the question, how can someone know the grace of God without ever having been heartbroken over their sin?

That's a powerful question. [i]How indeed[/i] can one know of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness if they have never seen or realized the depth of their sin against God and the punishment that is so desperately deserved?!! To come to that realization must result in brokenness.

I believe the experienced brokenness and revelation of the Gospel's promise is not within the power of a preacher but of the Holy Spirit. Like a farmer who can only plant the seeds, we must pray for rain from heaven on the hard and dry crust of the hearts of church members. Lord forgive us who have been content to plant without rain.

That's a good analogy, reminds me of [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=22285&forum=40&2]this[/url] article:

[b]We must remember, though, that this kind of strong preaching of repentance will never "get through" to people until there is this kind of strong praying.[/b]

Jesus had commanded that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached…" (Luke 24:47). Not just "forgiveness" and not just "repentance" but both! Today a tremendous amount of forgiveness of sins is being preached without repentance. This is a great weakness. We have no mandate for that, and we get no Revival! It is a great part of our "cheap grace," "easy believism," and the fallen-from-Revival condition in churches today. We must repent of it! Change our thinking. Agree with God, and do what He tells us to do, for He is the giver of Revival.

On the other hand, I have noticed through the years that [b]strong preaching on repentance without strong praying backfires, or misfires, or there is no fire! There is only hardening of heart.[/b] There must be the right combination, and timing as shown by Peter at Pentecost. Peter did not only preach "Christ crucified," he preached Christ "whom YOU have crucified" (Acts 2:36), and he preached it right in Jerusalem where they crucified Him.

tjservant wrote:
Amen.

“For Thou does not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; Thou art not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise”(Psalm 51:16-17).

The word “broken” used in Psalm 51:17 translates “crushed, broken in pieces, torn, and brought to birth!” The word “contrite” means “collapsed physically or mentally”. These two words describe a soul in devastated brokenness. From an eternal perspective, these are the sacrifices of God. This is not exactly something the fittest, the toughest and the slickest want to hear, but it truly is good news. Like freshly tilled soil, a broken and surrendered heart is the perfect environment for God to bring it to birth.

Taken from [url=http://www.annemurchison.com/brokenness.htm]here[/url]

This link has a lot of great articles and quotes on brokenness.

Thanks for the link, TJ!

Here's a quote that goes with MC's last paragraph:

We need never be ashamed
of our tears,
for they are rain upon
the blinding dust of earth,
overlying our hard hearts.

Charles Dickens
(1812-1870)

More random quotes:

Oftentimes a poor
broken-hearted one bends his knee,
but can only utter his wailing
in the language of sighs and tears.

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

If Satan could blind the eyes of God’s people to just one thing, of course it would be that intimate place of greater grace—the place of humility, repentance and sanctification (James 4:6-10). For the most part, the church today lives in the world of dry-eyed confession of sin, a mere decision of the will instead of the fruit and tender conviction birthed in godly sorrow.

God will never plant the seed of his life upon the soil of a hard, unbroken spirit. He will only plant that seed where
the conviction of His Spirit
has brought brokenness,
where the soil has been watered
with the tears of repentance
as well as the tears of joy.

Alan Redpath
(1907-1989)

Thomas Watson (1557-1592) wrote of repentance, “Faith lives in a broken heart. True faith is always in a heart bruised for sin. They, therefore, whose hearts were never touched for sin, have no faith. If a physician should tell us there was an herb that would help us against all infections, but it always grows in a watery place; if we should see an herb like it in colour, leaf, smell, blossom, but growing upon a rock, we should conclude that it was the wrong herb. So saving faith always grows in a heart humbled for sin, in a weeping eye and a tearful conscience.”

Living Christianity
is making one’s life
an exercise of humility,
repentance and heavenly affection.

William Law (1686-1761)

The old Puritans used to pray
for "the gift of tears".

Oswald Chambers
(1874-1917)