RECOVERING FROM A FALL (4) – THE BROKENNESS STAGE
A prominent minister of the gospel fell into sin- he was caught in the web of adultery and financial impropriety. When his crimes were tried, he was sentenced to serve his term in prison. While in prison, he requested the audience of another minister of the gospel. When they sat to have a conversation, he said to the visiting pastor, “This prison is not God’s judgment for me, it is God’s mercy”. What happened to him? He had, through meekness of heart, seen what the Lord was doing to restore him.
If a man falls and he is still covered with pride and offence, he is not ready for restoration. If a man falls and he still finds justification and explanations, he is not yet broken. A broken man has no justification.
David got to that point. The judgment of God was heavy. God forgave David, but David had opened up a door for the enemy because of his selfish acts.
2 Samuel 12:13-14 NIV
[13] Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. [14] But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”
When David heard this judgment, his heart could not bear it. He began to pray.
2 Samuel 12:16 NIV
[16] David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground.
Eventually, the child died. His men were afraid to break the news to him.
2 Samuel 12:18 NIV
[18] On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
Eventually, he got wind of it.
2 Samuel 12:19 NIV
[19] David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
What was his response? He went straight into the temple to worship.
2 Samuel 12:20 NIV
[20] Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
David was not going to start blaming the Lord and calling God a wicked God. He was wise enough to know that the will of God had spoken. He was broken enough to accept following God’s will. He was not going to control the narrative. He would rather follow all that the Lord has chosen to do about the matter.
He knew that it was an attempt to get things done his own way that got him in trouble in the first place. Now, he would surrender his will to the Lord. Now, he would not argue with what the Lord has done or is doing. He was in a posture of total surrender.
If a man does not get to brokenness, he would likely be broken again because as long as the flesh is king and the heart is hardened, sin would still find a leverage.
Have you gotten to brokenness, or are you still blaming someone else or situations?
© temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa
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