Is It Broken?

The Lord is close to those who are broken hearted and rescues those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

In January, on the occasion of his sixteenth birthday, our grandson Cooper was gifted with a 2005 red truck. The truck was pristine on the inside and outside and ran great until his parents decided to fix it by taking it to the dealership to change the oil and rotate the tires. After the service, the truck began to sputter and stall while driving. The dealership declared that a new engine was needed, but in a conversation with the former owner, it was discovered that there was a mechanic who had always taken care of this truck and he could fix the problem.

This mechanic knew this truck inside and out. Sure enough, he declared that the truck did not need a new engine and was not broken, it only needed the correct oil and some tender loving care! If they hadn’t relied on the knowledge of this mechanic, an engine that wasn’t broken would have been replaced.

There is an old saying that my Daddy loved to use, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Many times we set out to make something that is working, work a little better, but we end up breaking it to the point where it doesn’t work at all. We could end up spending our lives trying to fix something that’s not broken.

On the other hand, when something is broken, we need to fix it. There are many examples, but let’s use our lives in this instance. We tend to spend a lot of our time trying to figure out why our lives are broken rather than getting to work fixing the problem. We ask questions like, “If God is all good, then why is my life broken?” The most difficult thing to understand in life is why is pain, problems, and suffering are a part of it? If we aren’t careful, the “why” can leave us feeling cynical and bitter. If we spend all our time contemplating the “why” it does little to fix the brokenness.

The way we try to deal with broken aspects of our life aren’t new. The Bible gives accounts of Job, Abraham, and Jacob who dealt with brokenness because they tried to live life according to their own plans rather than letting God lead and help deal with their brokenness. The good news is that it is never too late to let God work in our lives and heal the broken parts.

What causes brokenness in our lives? I think it occurs when we try to live life on our own terms, and we come up empty. The Bible shows examples of those whose lives ended up broken because they tried to follow God while they lived their lives according to their own plans.

So, how do we cope with brokenness in our own lives. First, I believe that attitude is important. Attitude is defined as a way of thinking or feeling about someone or something that is typically reflected in one’s behavior. Our attitude is our most powerful asset when dreams are shattered and lives are broken, and it can determine whether we become bitter or better. If we fail to deal with the brokenness properly with the right attitude the emotional wounds will fester and the hurt will multiply. Love is our attitude toward others, faith is our attitude toward God, hope is our attitude toward the future, and forgiveness is our attitude toward the past. Everything revolves around our attitude.

Next, recognize that something is broken and take responsibility for it. The most difficult thing to understand is why pain, suffering, and adversity are part of life. If we remember that God can use whatever comes our way for the greater good, and that God often uses affliction for the greatest growth, then God will use the brokenness for His glory.

Finally, don’t give up on God fixing the broken parts. Just like Cooper’s truck sometimes a different opinion can offer the solution. Instead of working harder to fix the problem on our own, go to the expert and rely on Him to make things right.

Many of us hold onto brokenness in our lives and try to cure it using the same old lifestyle ways instead of reaching out for the new lease on life God offers. Just like the mechanic who knew the truck best and had always loved and cared for it, Jesus is the one we need to turn to when we are broken. He knows us better than any other and cares for us the most. Brokenness doesn’t means hopelessness when we trust God to help fix us!