Are you broken?
I am. Have been for a long time. A few years ago I started a Facebook group, “Broken People — Mended Spirits,” exclusively for Christians who suffer from chronic physical and/or emotional pain. While we are accepting and loving to those who don’t believe as we do, I wanted to create a “haven,” if you will; a safe place, for followers of Christ to seek encouragement.
We now have over 700 members. Crazy, as it started out with just my family and friends.
Over the years I’ve had a few people ask me why I used the word “broken” for the group, and for this blog. One lady said, “I don’t call myself broken. I’m a Christian; I think I’m UN-broken.” She seemed insulted I was calling us all “broken,” as if I was referring to us as “frail” or “deficient.”
Hardly. The thing is, calling ourselves “broken” isn’t an insult, it’s a fact.
It’s not a negative assessment of our belief in God, or even in His lack of compassion; it’s a legitimate evaluation of our current state of mind, body and/or spirit.
Life in general has broken many of us. We stand together, wrecked by the darkness of this world.
The good news is, Jesus can help mend our brokenness. Sometimes, though, the aftereffects of healing will be like gazing into a broken mirror. You can see us, but jagged bits are still evident. This is not a reflection of God’s inability to heal. Fact is, some things can never be undone.
My good friend Christy fully trusts in the Lord, and credits Him for not only salvation but sanity. Relying on God didn’t bring back her son, however, who passed away a few years ago. She still cries every single day. Her heart is still broken. She’s mended to a certain degree, but may never be fully whole.
That’s not a reflection of God’s lack of caring, or of Christy’s inability to “move on” (one of the WORST expressions you can use with someone in mourning, by the way), it’s just a sad fact of life. Jesus has given her hope and strength, but she still longs to hold her son again.
My book, We Whom The Darkness Could Not Overcome (available from Amazon), is full of real-life horror stories like this. Gloom, terror, sadness and pain have come HARD at my family, friends and me, but we’re still going. Through the power of Christ, we trudge on.
While we keep fighting, struggling, searching, laughing, crying and living, however, many of us may never be FULLY whole until we get to Heaven.
And that’s ok.
Just so we’re on the same page, here are a few definitions and explanations of the word “broke”:
- to separate into parts with suddenness or violence
- to cause an open wound
- violate; transgress
- to crush the spirit of
- to exhaust in health, strength, or capacity
- to destroy unity or completeness of
- to change the appearance of uniformity of
Various definitions and explanations of the word “broken”:
- damaged or altered
- not working properly
- being irregular, interrupted, or full of obstacles
- disrupted by change
- made weak
This helped me to better understand the fact that I really am broken.
Maybe you are, too, and again, that’s ok. This isn’t a sign of weakness.
Quite the opposite, actually. The devil has tried repeatedly to destroy you, but it hasn’t happened yet. As the old saying goes, you’re not a victim, but a survivor.
We’ll band together as family by encouraging and praying for each other. Sound like a plan?
The good news is, “broken” doesn’t mean “destroyed.” Broken is a state of being, not a death sentence. We may have suffered horrendous offenses in the past, but our past is not US. We may struggle with chronic pain, depression, anxiety or fear, but those are merely what we suffer, not WHO WE ARE.
They might be beside us, they might be inside us, but they don’t define us.
You don’t have to let the brokenness overtake you. This isn’t the end; merely an unscheduled detour.
But the best news is yet to come! Here are some great Bible verses for the broken:
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17
“The joy of the Lord is your strength. You must not be dejected and sad!” Nehemiah 8:10b
“I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in Him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
This is my prayer for you as well.
Keep going, you’re gonna make it!
Blessings.
Broken People 