“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning,” (Psalm 30:5).
There are seasons when we will endure weeping…seasons that bring great breaking. And really, who wants to be broken?? It is hard, undesirable, and hurts deeply!! Often, we run from it! As far away as we can. We avoid it by all means. We pretend we don’t see it, because it appears ugly, even scary.
But there is another way to look at brokenness…like in the taming of a wild animal, such as a horse. An undomesticated horse can pose a threat. It can be dangerous and uncontrollable. It whips its head and snarls. In every way the horse can seem possessed or in distress. But once it’s broken, the horse is regal… a portrait of grace and beauty; strength and power.
Just as there is beauty in the horse that has been tamed, there is something uniquely desirable in a person who has been broken by the hand of the Lord.
Elisabeth Elliot said that when Jesus took the lunch of a little boy, He blessed it, broke it, and fed multitudes. God does the miraculous when we are broken! We become nourishment to others and are nourished ourselves.
Why? Because it creates dependency. Wholeness is restored as we connect with the True Vine. Fruit abounds. We’re given a confidence to boldly approach the “throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” Hebrews 4:16. And probably the greatest effect of brokenness is that it creates an attitude of the heart which yields. It gives way to the Master…the One who administers the whipping, the wounding, the pain. The broken heart submits.
So, back to the verse we started with…”weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” That is the beauty in brokenness. It is but for a season, and it yields great joy. It gives glory to the Lord and it nourishes lives. Take heart all ye broken! For there is joy yet to come!
After writing this post, I felt like I should be more vulnerable and wrote up a personal account. If you want to read it, click on this link :: Part 2: A Personalized Version of Brokenness Resulting in Joy
Hi, I’m Jacqui, a wife and stay at home mama. I started this blog to share what God’s teaching me - how He’s changing me. It seems that most days I’m a little messy and broken. This is where I’m finding petals of grace. Beauty from ashes. Will you join me?
Hi Jacqui! LOVED this!! I especially loved the statement of God breaking the lunch of the little boy in order to feed & bless others. It’s a lot easier to allow God to break you when you know it’s for a good reason & that in the end not only will you be blessed, but others will be blessed too. As I’m in the clean up stage of my trial I have to keep reminding myself that in order to not get discouraged that life is still “a mess”. Really needed to read this today!
Kim, I know we just met, but reading your blog, I’m So Confident God is using your trial for blessing! And I love that story about the boy, too. I think I draw way too much from Elisabeth Elliot:) I’ve read almost all of her books…guess I’m a little obsessed :) Praying for you!
I love the concept that when we are broken we become nourishment to others. That is not so easy to see or understand. I sure don’t feel like I am able to nourish someone in my brokenness, and I think that is the lovely thing about it. I am not able to give nourishment, but he uses my weakness as a provision to others. Such lovely imagery here.
I love what you said, Jamie. “I am not able to give nourishment, but he uses my weakness as a provision to others.” Isn’t that how God works!? When we are weak, He is strong…that way He gets all the glory! Thanks for the encouragement, friend :)
Watching my brother and others work with young horses has helped me so much, understanding what you said about brokenness and trusting in God. I like these verses from Psalm 32: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.”
Beautiful list, thanks for sharing!
Frances, thanks for sharing that verse…it gives so much more insight! I don’t want to be stubborn!! i want to willingly and naturally walk in the way of the Lord. Thanks for visiting and thanks for the encouraging words. Blessings:)