I was recently asked…What is on my heart? That is a really good question to ask ourselves every so often. What is the Lord placing on our hearts? Many times He uses things in my life to speak His Heart to me. I see an extreme amount of brokenness, both brokenness that I can actually see and then the unseen brokenness. First the visible brokenness in families, friends, churches, emotions, conflict, and drama filled lives, self-infliction of wounds (both physical and emotional) and so on. I see a whole lot of just plain broken people and situations.
But then there is the brokenness we don’t see…especially in the Church. I’m afraid I have to call it; the lack of care by the Body towards this seen brokenness. I see among the "less broken" the desire to survive this world unscathed and without dirtying our hands with all the brokenness (especially when it comes to our families and our kids) I see an almost contempt towards the broken- as if they and their situations are disgusting. I even see a “poor thing” mentality towards the broken, along with “awww, poor thing…I’m just so glad it’s not me or mine”. Here is my point; all of this (lack of care and pride) is brokenness as well, it’s just prettier from our perspective.
So 2010 is ringing these types of questions in my heart- Does my heart break for what breaks the Lord’s heart? When was the last time I asked myself what breaks His heart? Doesn’t the sin of pride and self, (even in regards to family preservation) break His heart as much as flagrant sin? Does my life love what He loves? Not just my theology or words but the outpouring of my life…the conviction is strong and begs one last question; why do I cling so tightly to my life, my rights, my desires, my needs, my time, my energy, my “pretty” idols…when there is a lost and broken world, both inside and outside the church walls?
3 comments:
Hi Mandy, I am one of the broken in the Church, the one others say oh poor thing. This Christmas my son was in Jail for the 5th time. My daughter was missing in action with her mental illness in full swing and I was trying to focus on Christ and not my pain! I am planning on returning to Ladies Bible Study to hear your lectures on Tuesday. It is hard for me to even be in my group!!!!!!!!!! The pain of grown kids making such horrificly bad choices. My hope for this year that in my pain I can see someone else in pain and encourge and lift that one up and not give up on this life. That is what is on my heart. Thank-you for sharing what was on yours
Mandi, first I want to thank you for your boldness. What you have to say is so true and yes we all have our own brokenness and we all see it in others. But, as you say, so many of those less broken are unwilling to reach out to those that are really broken. Yet it is the church that should be healing the lost and broken, not condemning them. I am one of those broken within the church and it was you that reached out to me. Yet, still in my own pain I see so many others in pain, some with situations not as painful as mine and others in more painful situations. Pain is pain. Sin is sin. Brokenness is brokenness. And no matter what level of brokenness we are at, you are so right there is always someone we can be reaching out to ourselves. You have opened my eyes to so many different things this past year and my goal this year is to be able to do the same for another. If each one would reach out to just one, what a difference we could make in the church and the community.
Romans 15:1 says "We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves." and Galatians 6:2 says "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" Christ expects all believer's to bear another Christian's burdens.
Thanks you my anonymous friends...for your encouragement and resolve to allow the Lord to use your pain. He can and He desires to do so! Love you....
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