Free to Be Broken
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
In this season of life those verses might really hit home with you. Wondering how in the world you haven’t been crushed yet. Feeling forsaken and struck down. Clinging to God’s Word & praying with the last bit of strength you have.
Real hurt.
Real brokenness.
Is there room in God’s Kingdom & the church for broken people? Whether it’s brokenness from the past, or if you’re right in the middle of it. Is it okay to be broken and actually show it?
Often times we feel we must have the perfect, Instagram-worthy life & never mention the broken parts. Why? Because we feel like people will judge us, or won’t be able to look at us the same way, or hold our stories against us. If you’re a Christian, you know the stereotype that you should always be happy. If you’re hurting, some people will say you must not be praying and reading your bible enough. Then you’re left wondering things like, “What’s wrong with me? Did I not do something right? Did I make a wrong decision & go down the wrong path? Am I being punished for something I did in my past? Is following Christ even worth it if I’m still going to be broken?”
If you’ve had those questions run through your mind, you’re not alone. Ephesians 5:1 says to be imitators of Christ. So when I have hard questions like this, I like to open my bible and see what Jesus did.
- Jesus said not to judge others. (Matthew 7)
- Jesus didn’t deny or simply tolerate broken people, he sought after them and healed them. (Matthew 8 & 9)
- Jesus defended those who were in the middle of their sin & brokenness. (John 8)
The main thing that Jesus DID NOT tolerate was the Pharisees who were prideful and “holier than thou” people who did not have compassion on the broken. Over and over again you will see Jesus ripping people like that a new one for valuing rules & how things “should be” over the lives of people.
If you have encountered Christians who act more like Pharisees than like Jesus, I’m very sorry. Those “Christians” are not representing Jesus accurately. Jesus actually called people like that “children of hell” and said that they shut the kingdom of God in people’s faces. See for yourself (Matthew 23). Jesus was RUTHLESS!
In Luke 22, Jesus was in the middle of God’s will for His life, yet sweat blood from being so distraught and prayed that God would “let this cup pass” from Him. Have you ever felt like you were in that place? In that passage of scripture He was praying before He was about to take on the wrath of God & be crucified.
If you’re hurting that does not necessarily mean you’ve done anything wrong… it just might mean you’re about to experience a miracle.
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
When things literally couldn’t get worse, Jesus’ darkest moment, death, there was still hope. Jesus rose again, defeating death and that’s the hope we have. That even in our darkest moment, there is hope in the fact that God has a plan and is able to make ALL THINGS work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). He can make beauty come from ashes (Isaiah 61:3).
Here are the 2 verses BEFORE the verse that I started out with:
“For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
You haven’t been crushed because Jesus was crushed on your behalf. Your wounds will not lead to death because by His wounds you can be healed.
If you have accepted Jesus in your heart, Jesus is inside of you and you are that broken jar of clay. When you are vulnerable & tell your story, rays of His light are able to shine through to everyone around you. Your hope for a better future despite of all the brokenness & bad things going on… That is the light shining through to those around you.
The mindset that you can’t be a part of the church because you’re broken is a lie from the pits of hell! When you’re broken and decide to reach toward God, He will respond with compassion & grace & comfort. And people who follow Jesus will do the same.
We are free to be broken because our brokenness, yet strength to not fall apart, is what draws others to Jesus. We live in a broken world & being broken is a part of the plan whether we like it or not. When we try to conceal our brokenness out of wanting to self-preserve, we’re robbing God of glory & keeping others from seeing Him accurately.
Self-preservation was the Pharisees’ main priority. Good thing that wasn’t Jesus’ main priority.
So if you look at the life of someone who acts like a Pharisee, then no, there isn’t room for broken people. But when you look at the life of Jesus, yes! There’s not only room for broken people, but Jesus laid down His life specifically for the broken.
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Kelsey Brackett is the Children’s Ministry Coordinator for Revolution Church. She began serving as a volunteer in the children’s ministry when Revolution began in 2011. As she kept her focus on God and serving people, the Lord grew her passion for children and her influence in the ministry. She quickly became a team leader in the ministry, which she held the position of for almost 6 years before becoming the coordinator. Kelsey is passionate about creating a fun, safe & organized environment for children to learn about Jesus on their level, as well as helping parents do so at home. Kelsey is from Gastonia, is married to Jeramy Brackett and they have one daughter.
