Equipping young women professionals with young families to find fulfillment, contentment and joy as mothers and home makers without losing sight of who they are as women.

Volume 08, Issue 12: Brokenness is not Weakness

I never quite understood the term 'brokenness'. I equated it with having been so battered with life that you can barely go on. It's a state I felt extremely sorry about when I heard it mentioned about someone. I think our society also disregards brokenness. We write you off when you are broken, because we expect people to have it all together.

When I thought of brokenness, I pictured walls that are falling apart, walls that an enemy has struck against to gain access. It then depicts that the people behind those walls are exposed to danger, and that they are hopelessly helpless. That was my understanding of brokenness.

I have since been enlightened on the matter and now understand that brokenness is not necessarily weakness, thanks to a sermon at Church one Sunday morning. That message impressed me so much that I want to relay it in the fashion I received it, not in my own words.

It matters what you do when broken. When David was living in Ziklag, hiding from King Saul, one day him and his men came back home to find the place burned down, and their families and possessions gone. David and his men wept aloud until they were out of strength. They were broken.

After weeping, David's men talked of stoning him, since they held him responsible for the loss of their families. This is where I saw how you can use your brokenness to your advantage. David encouraged himself in the Lord. Broken people turn tables when they draw their strength from God. When broken, pray for yourself, take refuge in God, put your trust in God.

After encouraging himself in the Lord, David then inquired of the Lord, and God answered and directed him. Broken people inquire from the Lord. God reveals his will to us when we inquire of him. Don't run to people when trouble strikes. Inquire of the Lord. Ask God what you should do, how you should respond. Ask God why your Ziklag is burned down. Ask him to reveal to you what he is saying about your situation.

David then did what God told him to do. He pursued his enemies and recovered all the people and plunder. Broken people follow God,s instructions to the letter. They engage with what God says. David pounced on the enemy and recovered everything.

When broken, the secret to restoration is walking in obedience. David's attitude was that of "God, if you say go, I will go. If you say jump, I will ask how high and jump."

Brokenness is the pathway to revival. May you find God's glory in the valley. Don't despise your state of brokenness. David came to his destiny in the place of his worst affliction.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi