Book Recommendation: Brokenness
The Bible has what may be some surprising things to say about a broken and desperate heart:
Is 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Mt 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit…”
Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth has written a beautiful portrait of the necessity of brokenness in our lives. She explains that this condition is not the end, but actually a beginning. I’ll let her words speak for themselves:
“Our culture is obsessed with being whole and feeling good. That drive affects even the way we view the Christian life. We want a ‘painless Pentecost’; we want a ‘laughing’ revival. We want gain without pain; we want the resurrection without going through the grave; we want life without experiencing death; we want a crown without going by way of the cross. But in God’s economy, the way up is down” (p. 42).
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“Most of us don’t walk into a Christian bookstore and say, ‘Can you help me find a book on how to “mourn and weep”?’ We want to know how to be happy and whole, how to improve our self-esteem, how to feel better about ourselves and our lives. We think our problem is that we are gloomy and depressed and we need someone to make us happy” (p. 42).
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“Others think of brokenness as being morbidly introspective…. False humility and morbid introspection are, in fact, the opposite of brokenness, as they reveal a preoccupation with self, rather than Christ” (p. 43).
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“Brokenness is not a feeling or an emotion. Rather, it requires a choice, an act of the will…. True brokenness is an ongoing, constant way of life. True brokenness is a lifestyle—a moment-by-moment lifestyle of agreeing with God about the true condition of my heart and life—not as everyone else thinks it is but as He knows it to be” (p. 44).
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“As wax or clay must be soft and pliable in order to be molded by the artist’s hands, so the broken, contrite heart is easily molded by the hand of God and does not harden itself against the circumstances [I would add and people] God chooses to mold it” (p. 45).
If you are starting this year with a devastating loss, if you are facing depression, or if you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom, I really can’t recommend this book enough. On the other hand, if you are in a period of blessing but you want to study the topic of humility, this book is a great choice as well.
Brokenness is the beginning of a trilogy: Brokenness, Surrender, and Holiness. This entire trilogy is worth your time and study; these books are full of scripture and biblical teaching.
“Every great movement of God is preceded by a season of humility and repentance and a time of tearing down walls, of getting honest with God and others about your true spiritual condition. It may be hard. It may hurt. But in the end, God will use your brokenness to restore your ‘first love’ for Jesus, rekindle your spiritual fire, reconcile your relationships, and repair your life. A richer, deeper, more God-filled life is waiting for you. And it all begins with Brokenness.” (Amazon description)
The entire series is also available here as a single volume.
“Now the heart-changing volumes can be found in one hardbound and collectible edition. . . You will never know real joy, peace, or success until you learn what it means to live a fully surrendered life, and have a conscious ambition and aim to be holy. Nancy Leigh DeMoss’s life message, with probing questions and application, will be the starting point for giving God the right to revive, control, and purify your heart.” (Amazon description)
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