Are You Broken?

Brokenness

By: Ron Bender
Manager/House Director
The Potter's House

Brokenness is not a condition we usually desire, want, or even admit to. We typically associate brokenness with weakness, being incomplete, or something out of order. We don't strive to be broken. We don't pursue brokenness like we would wealth or fame or love. Yet, we are all broken. We are all weak, imperfect and in need, regardless of economic position or social status. Brokenness is the common denominator in all of humanity. We all come up short of perfection or wholeness. But no one seems to admit their brokenness. This is truly sad because I see such beauty in our brokenness.

Beauty in Brokenness

I suppose the beauty isn't so much in the brokenness as it is born out of brokenness. Brokenness is God's agent (and sometimes God's doing) for causing the broken one to acknowledge need. We don't acknowledge need very well, at least not in America. We acknowledge want, but need is very different. To need is to require dependence, to recognize our own inabilities, our weaknesses, our shortcomings. We are so quick to live out of our pride, believing we have within us what it takes to be whole, complete, and unbroken. But we do not possess this because none of us were born with it. Instead, we were all born with the same inherent quality of need.

What is our need?

Because God made us to need Him, we can only be complete in Him. In other words, whatever we attempt apart from dependence on God will ultimately fail. Even the most basic of needs will fail apart from God. For instance, if I chose to prevent myself from breathing (this would be attempting something apart from dependence on God) I would soon die. This is an obvious example, but it is true of other aspects of life as well. If I chose, even now as a believer in Christ, to live my life however I saw fit, without regard for God's Word or the prompting of the Holy Spirit, whatever I sought to do (regardless of how godly it may appear to onlookers) would eventually burn up as worthless deeds. To be whole, effective, and fulfilled requires utter and total dependence upon God. This sort of absolute surrender is truly a beautiful thing, even if it is unpopular and seems unnatural.

We Can't fix our brokenness

I remember a day, seems so long long ago, when my son came to me with this broken toy. It was a logo set that we worked at for hours to make this great creation of levers, pulleys, and motors. We had so much fun putting it together. I left him to play and went on about my studies. I heard cries of frustration and the stopping of anger coming from his bedroom just before he yelled "daddy". I rushed into his room to see him on the floor with logos everywhere and the creation we made was no more. He looked up at me with tears in his eyes and asked me "Daddy can you fix this?" As we started building again I realized that it was not the brokenness of the toy that was the need, but the relationship of his father to make it all better that calmed his spirit. We could not possibility make it as it was, but we did make a new and better creation together.

True Brokenness

True brokenness is the realization in who we are. We have hurt others in our own selfish desires and wants. We have blamed everyone else including God for our place in life. we desire more, want more, and truly have come to the conclusion that it is right. Than we finally see God in who he is. He is God! Simple enough. Realizing that we have no good in ourself before God we either become broken or we remain doing what we have always be doing. Where are you? Are You broken?

Putting The Pieces Back Together

Here At The Potter's House there is an overwhelming reality that people are broken, relationships torn apart, and lives destroyed by a life style of addiction.

By offering counseling, mentors, grace, and a safe environment the process of allowing God to restore the brokenness can begin. Seeing men reunite with families, begin a career, and start a relationship with God is our true reward.

As we look back on the year we think about the moments of the seemingly impossible becoming possible. As the economy relentlessly despairs the hearts of many, the men at The Potter's House who have a criminal record also feel the hopelessness of gaining employment. Yet we see Christ restoring the past and men making decisions for Christ that will change their future. God works well in the impossible, He thrives in broken lives, and He has given hope to the many hopeless hearts here at The Potter's house.

Join us as we work with God in putting the pieces back together.