The Usefulness of Brokenness

I like to be strong and have it all together.  I don’t like to be weak and broken.  And maybe even more to the point, I like to appear strong and together and not to appear weak and broken.  Can anyone else relate?  Somehow we have the idea that broken things are no longer useful.

But God has been reminding me lately of a truth I learned many years ago: in his perfect economy, weak and broken people are just as valuable and useful as strong, together people.  In fact, the humility that can come from brokenness makes them even more useful for God’s purposes.

When we experience brokenness or difficult times, 2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us that God’s grace is sufficient for us.  For that, we are grateful.  But we don’t love the second half of that verse, which goes on to tell us that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.  We want God’s grace, but we don’t want to be weak.  However, we cannot experience the sufficiency of God’s grace without the brokenness.

My own experiences with brokenness have taught me that God doesn’t waste pain.  When he allows it in our lives, we can be sure he has a purpose for the future as well as the present.  I have found that one of my greatest ways of ministering to others has come from the brokenness in my past.  The very things I want to hide and keep others from knowing are the stories God has used the most to speak truth into others’ lives.  But only if I’m willing to trust God and be transparent.

Raised to be proud and private, this has been a journey for me.  But I have discovered that, regardless of how broken I might feel, I am still whole and complete in God’s sight.  And, when I am willing, God can use me – not despite my brokenness, but because of it.  

Over twenty years ago, I sang a song in church designed to integrate with the sermon.  I understand its words today better than I did when I sang it then.  The song is “Strength to be Weak” by Pam Mark Hall, and here’s a couple lines from it:

I want people to see that You are working in me

And that You’re worth getting to know.

What the world needs to see are real people

Not afraid to face what is true.

And as our struggles unfold and our story is told

We discover our need for You.

Lord, give me the strength to be weak

Maybe others will see You’re working in me

So give me the strength to be weak.