Part Three
Brokenness – A Prerequisite
I’ve often said that brokenness is a prerequisite for effective ministry. Only through our own brokenness can we deliver the heart of God in ministry for others. Why? Because Jesus allowed Himself to be broken in every way, including His physical body and we are not above our Master. But while we all honor Jesus for going to the Cross and allowing His body to be crucified so that we can have eternal life (John 3:16), we don’t often focus on His emotional brokenness which was so apparent in the Garden of Gethsemane and at other times in His life.
In the Garden, Jesus struggled with His friends. He knew what was to come very shortly, that He would face the greatest trial of His life, and He wanted His friends to pray with Him. That doesn’t sound like a tremendous request, does it? Yet they could not even muster the commitment to pray – they chose to sleep instead. Were they weak? Oh yes they were. But they failed even more in the hours ahead. Some betrayed Jesus, one denied Him. None stood with Him. Jesus was alone, except for the Father, in Whom He trusted for His strength, emotional and physical.
Have you ever been through something and thought your friends had your back and that they would walk with you through it and support you, only to find that they would go with you a short distance – stand with you for a little while – pray with you for a short time – but in the end, you found yourself alone. Not even Sister Super Saint would go the distance with you. It was something you had to go through yourself in order to rely fully and wholly upon God alone, Who is the Only One who could sustain you.
Brokenness comes when everything and everyone around you fails you. You prayed all your spiritual warfare prayers, and things just got worse. Your called on your friends, but your friends couldn’t go the distance with you. Religion fails you, even spiritual leaders sometimes fail you. You come to the end of your reliance on anything that is earthly and you come to a surrender that you can survive with only one explanation – GRACE. You now intimately know what it means when some other broken vessel says that God alone sustained them through something.
Jesus came to that place of brokenness and surrender – Job came as well. David, Paul and John came too. Mary Magdalene knew this place well – for she had found no greater love anywhere than at His feet. When the pain and sorrow is so great that you can only whisper the Name – yet, you do – you do call out that Name Above All Names. It is at that moment that God’s Amazing Grace sustains you and you have been given the honor of having your faith exercised by the trials you endure.
Up until now, you had thought you were a pretty good Christian. But now you know that you can do nothing, absolutely nothing, in your own strength. You can’t help others, though you thought you could, without being broken. You can’t even walk the walk though you’ve talked the talk. You have a new understanding that every step you take, every breath you inhale is dependent on Him.
Your reputation? Ha! Jesus made Himself of NO reputation. We’ll discuss that next.
(continued)
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 1
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 2
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 4
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 5
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 6
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 7
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 8
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 9
On Being a Bondservant of Christ – Part 10
Dear Lori,
I do thank God for all of my brokeness that I had suffered and that He has healed, and am helping others now because of it. Just as he used you to help me in my brokeness once too thru yours. And now I am speaking and sharing and allowing God to speak and breath thru me, so that I may be able help others. Your courage when I first seen you on the show sharing your testimony and I immediately bought your book, was astounding to me, I was amazed by your healing, confidence and love for others and Christ. That was years ago and now I am speaking and sharing my own and am in the beginning stages of writing my first book! I thank God for your brokeness Lori, and your blog today made me nostalgic and I had to share with you what you’ve been to me. So sorry that what I am writing you is not all about your teaching on your blog. It was great.
I just love being able to read your very own blogs and teachings. I am new to yours and Jims website. You are an amazing woman who is married to an incredible man. I stay up late to watch your show every single night I can. I am watching you both now and Matthew Barnett was on~woohoo~! But my favorite part of it all and it had many great parts, (I loved and praised God, and blubbered the whole time while hearing how the ghetto in LA has changed so miraculously!) the very best was when Jim grabbed you and exclaimed I met Lori at the dream center, and said there should be a song about the love you both found at the dream center.So beautiful to see. Thru both of your brokeness you have touched the lives of millions and millions, you are 2 of my BIGGEST HEROS in life, and I love you so much. My husband and I pray for you and all of your precious children almost nightly, but we ask God to bless you as we watch your show. God bless you both for being who you are and who God wants you to be…like Jesus! God bless.
Sorry for going on and on but it's the first time I've written and had to tell you how much I love you Lori and how you've really inspired me.
Sometimes we may feel so broken we become weary. We don’t think of
Moses as ever broken, however he went from Pharoah’s house to be driven to the backside of a desert. Where he had a God encounter.
Driven away fro the Jewish people to meet the God of Israel.
God knew exactly where he was and met him there. I think of Moses
as long as his hands were up the battle went well. But there came
a time when his hands grew heavy and he needed his faithful ones
to help him win the battle by holding up the hands of this great
leader that God chose. Thank God for the angels in the flesh, those
that God sends to lift us up during our times of brokeness.
Dear Lori,
I felt your piece on being a Bondservant to be so true and it touched me greatly.
I have always felt that Jesus in the Garden may have experrienced a greater suffering. It truly was emotional. Jesus says,”could you not wait with Me for one hour?” Mt.26:40. In Mt.26:38 Jesus said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.Stay here, and keep watch with me.” Yet, they did NOT keep watch.How honest Jesus was!
When we are in the Garden, our soul is being torn or ravaged. To me, there is no greater pain. Yes, we come out wounded, and then we are truly able to have empathy, to “walk a mile in someone Else’s shoes”.
This is the time when we do realize it is GOD who is above ALL.It is truly God’s amazing Grace, that carries us through and yes, it is God alone.
Because, only God has that kind of compassion and mercy.
In the Garden it is said that Jesus sweat blood. Scientifically, it has been proven that under extreme duress, a human being is capable of this.I personally feel that despite the physical illness and pain that I have had in my life–nothing can compare to the emotional pain that is tearing at your very soul. That is the kind of pain that others cannot truly understand, only Our Lord.
I personally do not feel that Jesus was forgiving in the Garden. On the cross Jesus cried, “Eloi,Eloi,lama sabachthani?-MY God, My God why have You forsaken me?” (Mt.27:46) He cried this out in a Loud voice.When we reach this point, you said we have been given the honor of the trials to endure, and that is how we move to being wounded, and somewhat healed. Because only the Supreme Almighty One carries us through this, and gives a hint of the Lord’s suffering.Of course,Jesus did forgive, but he suffered first.
I almost never write comments to anyone, Lori, and I pray that I understood your beautiful words.
Try to remember there are lots of nameless and faceless people like me, who love you and pray for you. Thank you for your courage and the grace and honesty in your beautiful thoughts!
With Love, Peace and Joy!
Susan
People not only listen to what you say but also watch your behavior and actions especially if you are in the ministry. Colossians 3:13–
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as thr Lord forgave you.
Even when you are broken and it hurts we need to forgive completely, as God as done for our wrong doings.The value of experience is not in seeing much, but in seeing wisely. Through your brokeness God will always have your back. When your friends leave you it is easy to walk around great places with closed eyes and later wish for a second chance that may never come. It is always easy to go through life complaining about what goes wrong and miss the blessing altogether.God has not promised us a trouble free life. But God is the Father of compassion and comfort.You and Jim have been through trials and tribulations before,but God has given you layers of blessings upon your life.The presence of those we love through troubled times, a hug, a smiling friendly face, now that is refreshing. In Christian Love: LaVonne