A Devotional on Brokenness - Grace Creates

May 18, 2009

The Joy of Crushed Bones

By Jon Walker

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Psalm 51:8 (NIV)

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In the school of Christ, brokenness is a good thing.

Here’s why: It’s impossible to become intimate with God unless we are broken of our independence, broken of our pride, and broken of our insistence that our way is better than God’s.

We must be broken of the illusion that we bring anything to the peace talks when we seek to end our war with God; the only surrender God requires is unconditional.

• Brokenness is the last stop before we finally confess, “I can’t; God can.”
• Brokenness is the apostle Paul confessing, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24 NIV).
• Brokenness is the prodigal fighting with the pigs over food (Luke 15:11-32).
• Brokenness is Joseph, still in prison, forgotten by the cupbearer (Genesis 40:23).
• Brokenness is Jonah in the belly of a whale, confessing the consequences of running from God, “I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you” (Jonah 1:12 NIV).
• Brokenness is Peter weeping bitterly outside the trial of Jesus (Luke 22:62).
• Brokenness is Jesus abandoning everything to God: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42 NIV).

God breaks us so he can use us. We can smash our pride against the solid rock of Jesus, confess our sins, and admit our need for him; or, the stone can fall on us, meaning God in his ruthless, loving pursuit of us will break us of our pride and sin folly and independence (Matthew 21:44).

Like Jesus serving bread at the Last Supper, God takes us, breaks us, blesses us, and then uses us.

Oh, Lord, may you hear our joy and gladness; may the bones you have crushed rejoice (Psalm 51:8 NIV, author paraphrase).

If you’d like to receive these devotionals regularly, you can sign-up at www.gracecreates.com/subscribe/. Jon Walker writes from www.gracecreates.com. He is a Zondervan author, and the former writer/editor of the Purpose Driven Life On-Line Devotionals. This devotional is copyrighted 2009 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

Struggling with God's Best

A couple of weeks ago I ran across this prayer that I had written back in 2007 that was based on a book by Bruce Wilkerson called "The Prayer of Jabez". At the time, I was really struggling with some feelings and desires that I knew were not God's best for me. These are the parts that really "hit me in the face!"

Turn my surrendered need into Your unlimited opportunity.

• Note to self: In order for Him to turn my need into an opportunity - I must first SURRENDER it. Learn to "let go" without the claw marks.

Keep me from evil! Keep me away from temptation! I plead for Your safekeeping.
Keep me from making the mistakes I’m more prone to when temptation comes. I confess that what I think is necessary, smart or personally beneficial is so often only the beautiful wrapping of sin. Keep me far away from evil. Keep me safe from the pain and grief that sin brings. For the dangers I can’t see are the ones that I think I can risk because of my experience. Forgive me of my pride and carelessness! Humble me and make me aware of my sin and help me to promptly confess it. Put up a supernatural barrier! Protect me, Father, by Your power! Keep me safe from temptations that pull at my emotions and my physical needs that call out to my sense of what I deserve, what I have “the right” to feel and enjoy.


If you are struggling with feelings and/or desires that you know deep in your heart that are not God's best, I strongly urge you to read that portion outloud - even if you do not "feel" it or even "want" it. Say it outloud - cry it out to God ... Trust in Him and Walk in Faith and the feelings will come back into line with His will. By His grace, He has been answering these prayers in my own life and I pray that he will in your life, too.


Here is the entire prayer.

08/29/07

Dear God,

Give me a HUGE vision for my life. I pray for Your powerful will for my future – I plead with You to answer my request. I know that You long to give me so much more than I ever thought to ask for. I am reaching for a life that will be more honorable for You … nothing but Your fullest blessing will do! I long to hear You say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

In confidence, I believe that You will bring it to pass. Let the loving currents of Your grace and power carry me along. Your great plan for me is surrounding me and sweeping me forward into the important & satisfying life You have waiting for me!

I cry out for the wonderful unlimited goodness that only You have the power to know about or give me. I refuse to let any obstacle, person or opinion loom larger that God’s nature. And Your nature is to bless me! Your nature is to bless me, my family, my friends and my TEAM! Enlarge my life so that I can make a greater impact for You. My family, my friends, my job, my business, my circle of influence, my ministry and my TEAM – all are treasured gifts that YOU have entrusted to me.

My God and King, please expand my opportunities and my impact I such a way that I touch more lives for Your glory. Let me do more for You! I want to be Your servant.

URGENTLY accomplish great things THROUGH me!

Even now, enlarge my borders – Send somebody who needs me – who needs You!

Time and time again I will attempt things large enough that failure is guaranteed … unless YOU step in!

Oh, that Your hand would be with me! Release Your power to accomplish Your will and bring YOU glory through all the seeming impossibilities. Continue the great things You have begun in my life.

I depend on the strong hand of my God. Turn my surrendered need into Your unlimited opportunity. Please do this IN me because I cannot do it alone! I am shouting, “God did THIS – nobody else! God is carrying me, giving me the words and giving me the power – and it is wonderful!”

My only power and success come from You, Father God.

Lord, by Your Spirit, pull off something great for Your glory. I pray for Your Holy Spirit to move in my church, my family, my friends and in my TEAM – bring repentance and revival.

Keep me from evil! Keep me away from temptation! I plead for Your safekeeping.

Keep me from making the mistakes I’m more prone to when temptation comes. I confess that what I think is necessary, smart or personally beneficial is so often only the beautiful wrapping of sin. Keep me far away from evil. Keep me safe from the pain and grief that sin brings. For the dangers I can’t see are the ones that I think I can risk because of my experience. Forgive me of my pride and carelessness! Humble me and make me aware of my sin and help me to promptly confess it. Put up a supernatural barrier! Protect me, Father, by Your power! Keep me safe from temptations that pull at my emotions and my physical needs that call out to my sense of what I deserve, what I have “the right” to feel and enjoy. YOU are the true source of all that is really life, directing my steps away from all that is not of You. I am living FREE from the bondage of evil!

I earnestly want what You want! Daily – arrange an appointment for ministry. Do not let sin break the flow of Your power – help me to remember this!

I Chronicles 4:10 – The Prayer of Jabez

He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!”

Thoughts on "Standing Firm"

Over the past week I have had to come face to face with the ugliness of one of my major character flaws: inconsistency. This is not the first time I have had to look this creature square in the face.
I have come to the conclusion that there are 7 "No Matter Whats" that I need to do every day ... no matter what. I will not list them here - for mine would be different from yours. I just know that when I do these 7 things CONSISTENTLY on a daily basis that my life is full of purpose and lasting joy - in spite of my circumstances.
On May 1 I read an article from the monthly magazine that I receive from In Touch Ministries that made a big impact on me. In fact, I have gone back and re-read this article several times in the past week.
You can read the full article by clicking on this link:

Standing Firm When Life Takes You By Surprise
(Click on the Magazine tab at the top of the webpage)

Here is the part that hit me square in the face:

"Worry, doubt and fear lead to one thing - sin."

Whoa! That's not what I was expecting the author to say. I had to re-read that sentence again!

"Worry, doubt and fear lead to one thing - sin."

Dr. Stanley goes on to say, "Each one of these has the powerful potential to prevent us from obeying God. They have the capacity to keep us wrapped up in our thoughts, feelings and inabilities. The Lord has admonished us to do two things - to trust Him and walk by faith.

I had to honestly ask myself, "What is the first thing that I do when I feel overwhelmed or threatened?"

Do I ...

• Call a friend
• Write about it on Facebook (some of you know what I mean!)
• Hide - i.e. sleep, play a game online, read a book, etc. etc.
• Cry and cry some more
• Rant and rave to anyone that will listen

The list could go on and on ... OR do I immediately turn to PRAYER?

Stop, drop and PRAY Then Walk by FAITH

The author encourages us to follow David's example in I Samuel 30:

• He did not allow fear to overwhelm him
• He ignored threats from those around him
• He quickly turned to the Lord in prayer
• He acted on his faith and did what God told him to do

This article is well worth the time it takes to read ... and read again. I hope you will find hope and encouragement. I know that I did.