"A Broken And Contrite
Heart"
Psalm 51:17
Brokenness, humility and contrition of
heart are essential to usefulness in the
Pray for a broken, contrite heart. God
uses broken things (Acts 27:44). Brokenness is the beginning of the life of
faith. Brokenness is the root of all true revival in the soul. It is painful.
Our flesh opposes it. But we must be broken. We will never break ourselves. We
must be broken by grace. Our wills must be broken to God's will.
Brokenness is dying to self. It is the response of the renewed heart to
Holy Spirit conviction (Zech.
Brokenness is the spirit of Christ.
Christ, who is God, took upon himself the form of a servant. He willingly gave
up everything for us! As a servant he had no rights of his own, no home of his
own, no possessions of his own. He did not have so much as an hour to call his
own. When he was reviled, he reviled not again, but committed himself to God.
He went willingly, but with broken heart, to
Brokenness can be found only at the foot
of the cross.
"Lord,
bend this proud and stiffnecked I,
Help me to
bow the head and die,
Beholding
Him on
Who bowed
His head and died for me!"
Brokenness means having no plans, no time,
no possessions, no money, no life of my own. It is to be crucified with Christ.
It is a constant yielding of ourselves to God. We must seek it; but only God can
give it. If we are his, he will. He receives none but those whom he breaks.
Don Fortner