The Broken Place

The Broken Place

Have you ever seen a Western film where the cowboy is given the task of taming the wild stallion?  The stallion is majestic, fit, energetic, it stands tall and strong, its outward appearance is beautiful, alluring but as soon as it’s approached it runs wild, it stomps, neighs and given the chance, will run away causing destruction along the way.  Its real personality comes out and the beauty that once was so attractive now becomes the thing that scares the cowboy.  The cowboy has to take control, he has to become the master of the stallion, lead it, guide it and tame the bucking bronco until it's broken in.  Eventually the stallion learns that it’s pointless to try and run, to fight, or retaliate and very soon it begins to succumb to the direction and ways of the cowboy.  The cowboy who once represented something scary, something harsh and unnecessary has now become a loving owner, a tender trainer, a carer and guide and the horse receives and enjoys the benefits of a good home where it’s fed, watered, cleaned and taken care of.  All its needs are met by its master and it becomes a champion at its craft.

Sometimes as humans we are like that.  We are admired for our beauty, our stature, our outward attributes but dig just beneath the surface and we are unusable.  Our packaging is attractive and we look fit for purpose but beneath our beauty we are wild and out of control.  We go through life with no real purpose or direction, living day to day making do with the here and now and not really achieving anything, not making a difference or putting to use the skills we were born with.  We have no idea who we are and whose we are. But God has a purpose for every one of us (Ephesians 2:10). We belong to Him. We are made the way we are with all our outward attributes for a reason but our outward beauty has to be aligned with our inward beauty.  We need to harness the two and bring them into union.  We all need to be broken in and disciplined in order to fulfil our purpose.  Without direction we walk around aimlessly.

Most times even a pair of shoes gets broken in before being used for the purpose for which it was purchased.  We will take it home and walk through the house with it before venturing outside wearing it.  We will try on clothes before purchasing it making sure it is fit for the purpose it’s being purchased for.  Many times we hear children being referred to as wild and out of control. They have no direction or discipline and so they “act out”.  We hear of the terrible twos and threes but a child that has been guided, directed and disciplined by their parents often follows that direction.  We often hear of guide dogs being taken to training school in order for it to fulfil its purpose. The spirit of waywardness has to be killed for our true nature to be utilised, for our outward and inner beauty and strength to align.

When I was younger, I was wayward, I did things I wanted to do but without any real purpose.  I lived a life directed by the world.  My outward and inward appeal did not align.  Today, I am still Carl but God took control of my life and harnessed me.  He brought me in alignment with His purpose for my life.  He had to break me in.  I was broken, went down into the valley, lost some habits, lost some of my old ways, had to let go of some people and possessions but like the phoenix rising from the ashes He brought me through and raised me up.  Like the lamb whose leg Jesus had to break, He had to break me in order to carry me.  Sometimes we will have to be brought to our knees, to be in a broken place, lost and alone but that’s when God says, lean on me, rest on my everlasting arm, cast your burdens onto me and I will carry you.  I will wash you anew, I will renew your mind, I will give you your purpose, I will break you in and harness you and you will be made whole.  When you’re in a broken place He is waiting on you to call on Him, to say Lord HELP!

Broken places are necessary.  Even Christians get broken.  Even Christians goes through the valley but God always puts us back together and along the way He strengthens us and makes us fit for purpose.  Whatever your brokenness is, wherever it lies, whether it is financially, emotionally, physically or spiritually, He can put it back together again.  He will use your brokenness to harness you.  Your broken place is your breaking in process. Brokenness is something we can’t avoid but it’s important to look for the reason for it, look beyond your place of brokenness and see the breaking in, see the harnessing, see Gods hand at work. 

Your broken place is your scrap yard. It’s where you’re put back together.  When a car gets written off, it’s taken to the scrap yard not because it can’t be used again but because it can be used again.  All its various parts can be used in different ways for different reasons, it gets put back together one way or the other and is used again. Often times when it’s rebuilt it is worth much more than before, it is more valuable.  That’s what God wants to do and will do with you if you will call on Him.  He will restore and replenish you (1 Peter 5:10).  He is the Creator and He will create in you a new mind, heart and purpose. 

Your broken place is where God is waiting on you.  Look for Him, call on Him and let go and let Him.  He wants to feed you, to take care of you, to guide, guard and protect you.  His plan for you is to prosper you....don’t be afraid, don’t run away.  The process may hurt but it won’t hurt you.

You’re in your broken place for your breaking in