The process of brokenness can be traumatic as well as discouraging if we fail to understand that we are actually being delivered from our worldly thinking and desires and drawn into a deeper relationship with our Lord. There are times when we find ourselves struggling against the journey of intimacy, not realizing that we are being released from the love of self into experiencing a deeper love for Christ.
Many Christians are troubled by the fact that God requires brokenness before He is able to fully use them. It is important for us to understand how God uses broken people to prosper within His kingdom. Brokenness is a state of mind whereby we recognize our personal weaknesses and limitations before God, and we surrender to His will. Brokenness is the state of being in which we yield all control of our fleshly desires. God uses brokenness to draw his children into an intimate relationship.
WHY BROKENNESS?
It is our nature to resist submission to the will of another person. In a Father and child relationship, it is natural for the child to submit to his father’s authority, but because of our self-will, we often resist God’s will for our lives. Rebellion against God is a devastating act, and when we choose to rebel against God, consequences follow. We are not usable in God’s kingdom if we have not surrendered our self-will to His authority.
The Book of Jonah is a prime example of how God deals with rebellion. God commanded the prophet, Jonah, to go to Nineveh, but he decided to exercise his will and go to Tarshish instead. The inhabitants of Nineveh were Assyrians, a people known for their aggression and cruelty to others; (2 Ki. 19:17). They were the sworn enemies of Israel. Therefore, Jonah didn’t want them to repent. He wanted them to perish in their sins.
Unfortunately for Jonah, in his attempt to flee to Tarshish, God sent a great wind and a violent storm that threatened to destroy the boat. The sailors on board discovered that Jonah was running from the Lord, so they cast lots and decided to throw Jonah overboard; (Jonah 1:7, 15). Then God sent a great fish that swallowed Jonah, and he was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights; (v.17). This was an ample amount of time for Jonah to consider his rebellious ways.
Having deep feelings of remorse, Jonah prayed to the LORD, and the Lord heard his repentant cry; (Jonah 2). He commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land; (v.10). Then, the LORD commanded Jonah again to go to Nineveh, and this time he went. Jonah’s self-will was broken.
The task of ministering to the Ninevites served an additional purpose. God was able to break Jonah’s unloving prideful spirit. It was Jonah’s hatred that drove him deep into rebellion and away from the Lord. Jonah was so filled with hate for the enemy that he preferred to die rather than see the enemy saved; (Jonah 4:3). After surrendering to God’s will, Jonah preach to the inhabitants of Nineveh. The entire city repented, and they were saved from destruction; (3:10).
HIS HIGHER PURPOSE
God performs a deep work in us before He does a deep work through us. The depth of your spiritual authority is determined by your level of submission to God. We’re only as valuable to God as we are obedient to Him. His goal is to live through us the life of Christ.
When God breaks us, He’s not trying to destroy us. He’s working in our lives to prepare us for His use. He targets the areas that need to be worked on. He applies pressure against us (opposition), in order to get us to realize that we’re working against His will. As we continue to resist, the pressure gets turned up until we can’t stand it, and our stubborn will breaks. If we refuse to surrender our will, God backs off. When He backs off, He puts you on the shelf, deeming you unusable.
Being broken is not a punishment, God is not punishing us. If the person has a rebellious spirit, He wants to break the rebellion, not the spirit of the person, only the self-will. When there’s a desire to act independently apart from God, self-will has to be broken. God does not change His will to conform to our will.
Brokenness does not result from anger on God’s part. It’s just the opposite; it’s the result of His love. He’s interested in making us usable. He equips us so that we can make an impact on other people’s lives. That others may see His glory through us. (Continue to page 2)
Jeanie Martin Ministries 