Healing for a Broken Spirit

The following quote is from my novel “A Reason to Pray at Mountainview“:

He [Mark Torrell] had dozed off in the chapel praying for his family and to ask God … again … for forgiveness, something that he has never been able to accept from God. And again he found that neither medication, sleep, nor a religious setting was strong enough to quiet his soul and to remove the shame that kept him enslaved to his past sins.

“I guess it’s only right that God wouldn’t hear me, and I guess that it would only be right to let me die. I know that I deserve to, I just hope …”

Common Struggles

I’m sure that all of us can relate to Mark Torrell, in that he had more than one crisis hit him at the same time. We may differ in our situations, but we all know that life doesn’t pull any punches. Mark’s punches were coming at him faster and harder, and his spirit was getting weaker with each punch. The hardest punches were leaving him beat up and broken. They were guilt, shame, and regret. These three were leaving him flat on the mat, deterring him from praying and discouraging him from believing. The longer he was kept down, the more fear and hopelessness were taking their toll on of his life.

For Mark, his weak spirit was rooted in his past. It was a past that continued to work against him to keep him from finding the peace of God’s presence and from holding on to God’s promises. Yet Mark is not an isolated prisoner to the past. Is there anyone who has not found themselves confronted with a past that tries to condemn and even break them? Perhaps you, or someone you know, has a past that is haunting you and deterring you from living in the joy and peace of Christ. The effects of a broken spirit reach further into our lives than we would ever expect. When a person begins sliding downward, it becomes more and more difficult to stop and turn around. If we don’t learn to address our past, we may find ourselves more like Mark.

Proverbs 18:14 (NKJV) — The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit?

John Piper, addressing Proverbs 18:14:

“…if the spirit is broken, if our hearts are downcast, if our soul is flat like a deflated beach ball, what can you do? The very will is broken; the flags of our affection just hang there with no wind to unfurl them.”

This quote reminds us of a dire need that is often neglected, which is the care of our spiritual health. A strong spirit gives hope and encouragement; it sustains us through life’s struggles, and is able to find traction to walk with the Lord. John Piper went on to say:

“If our hearts are strong in the Lord, if our soul is refreshed, we can endure the pain of the body.”

Finding Healing for a Broken Spirit

“The Gospel is the difference-maker, all the difference in heaven and earth.” (From “A Reason to Pray at Mountainview“)

Jesus delights in healing broken hearts, broken lives, and broken relationships. God is glorified in healing brokenness. That is what He does. Who else can? Drugs? Therapy? An adrenalin rush? Entertainment? Only the Maker of the spirit can heal a broken spirit. The Gospel of Jesus Christ brings healing, peace, cleansing, love, and forgiving. The Gospel is what the human heart needs.

Psalm 147:3  (NKJV) He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

Charles Spurgeon encourages:

His deep sympathy with mourners is a special mark of his goodness. Few will associate with the despondent, but Jehovah chooses their company, and abides with them till he has healed them by his comforts. He deigns to handle and heal broken hearts: he himself lays on the ointment of grace, and the soft bandages of love, and thus binds up the bleeding wounds of those convinced of sin. This is compassion like a God. Well may those praise him to whom he has acted so gracious a part. The Lord is always healing and binding: this is no new work to him, he has done it of old; and it is not a thing of the past of which he is now weary, for he is still healing and still binding, as the original hath it. Come, broken hearts, come to the Physician who never fails to heal: uncover your wounds to him who so tenderly binds them up! (Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). The treasury of David: Psalms 120-150 (Vol. 6, p. 415). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)

Jesus said,

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

The Psalmist, David, knew where to run when overwhelmed and broken.

Psalm 61:1–2 — Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

It all goes back to the One who offers eternal life and liberty–Jesus Christ.


A Selfish Benefit of Prayer?

How many benefits are there? Com’ on, no one except God knows. I can give you one that I continually, regularly, and faithfully experience (extra adverbs for emphasis).

Recalibration

My personal preference for devotional time (Bible reading and prayer) is early in the morning. I love the quiet mornings; more of a Jed Clampett than a night owl. By starting my day off with devotions I get recalibrated. My mind and heart starts the day off focused on my God, and it helps me to see with an eternal perspective. All of this helps to get my priorities in line for the day as well see the Gospel afresh for the day.

The honest part is: I wish I could stay calibrated throughout the day. But as the insurance commercial reminds us, “Life comes at us fast.” Sometimes it is a challenge just to drive to work. As the day wears on the needs for re calibrating our heart, soul, mind, and …. (fill in the blank) becomes more obvious. We are messy lives, especially spiritually,  needing our Maker and Sanctifier to put our bubble back between the lines, level, and moving forward.

Challenges and temptations, successes and failures shout reasons for recalibration. “Here I am, Lord. I’m still a mess and I’m still broken.” I need my alone time with my Father, my Savior, and my Sanctifier—the Triune God. Discombobulated is not my preferred alternative state for the day.

“Oh God, You are my God; Earnestly I seek You.” Psalms 63:1a (NIV)

Do I think this is a selfish motive to pray? It is a God-given benefit of His grace. Therefore, the answer is: Nope.


A Conversation Between Prayerful and Prayerless

Many people wrestle with the question: “If God ordains and controls everything, then won’t His plans from of old come to pass whether we pray or not?”

This is a fun and clear explanation, via a conversation between Prayerful and Prayerless that will answer this question.

Click this LINK to go to the Blog or read below. Thanks, John Piper.

*****

Prayerless: I understand that you believe in the providence of God. Is that right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: Does that mean you believe, like the Heidelberg Catechism says, that nothing comes about by chance but only by God’s design and plan?

Prayerful: Yes, I believe that’s what the Bible teaches.

Prayerless: Then why do you pray?

Prayerful: I don’t see the problem. Why shouldn’t we pray?

Prayerless: Well, if God ordains and controls everything, then what he plans from of old will come to pass, right?

Prayerful: Yes.

Prayerless: So it’s going to come to pass whether you pray or not, right.

Prayerful: That depends on whether God ordained for it to come to pass in answer to prayer. If God predestined that something happen in answer to prayer, it won’t happen without prayer.

Prayerless: Wait a minute, this is confusing. Are you saying that every answer to prayer is predestined or not?

Prayerful: Yes, it is. It’s predestined as an answer to prayer.

Prayerless: So if the prayer doesn’t happen, the answer doesn’t happen?

Prayerful: That’s right.

Prayerless: So the event is contingent on our praying for it to happen?

Prayerful: Yes. I take it that by contingent you mean prayer is a real reason that the event happens, and without the prayer the event would not happen.

Prayerless: Yes that’s what I mean. But how can an event be contingent on my prayer and still be eternally fixed and predestined by God?

Prayerful: Because your prayer is as fixed as the predestined answer.

Prayerless: Explain.

Prayerful: It’s not complicated. God providentially ordains all events. God never ordains an event without a cause. The cause is also an event. Therefore, the cause is also foreordained. So you cannot say that the event will happen if the cause doesn’t because God has ordained otherwise. The event will happen if the cause happens.

Prayerless: So what you are saying is that answers to prayer are always ordained as effects of prayer which is one of the causes, and that God predestined the answer only as an effect of the cause.

Prayerful: That’s right. And since both the cause and the effect are ordained together you can’t say that the effect will happen even if the cause doesn’t because God doesn’t ordain effects without causes.

Prayerless: Can you give some illustrations?

Prayerful: Sure. If God predestines that I die of a bullet wound, then I will not die if no bullet is fired. If God predestines that I be healed by surgery, then if there is no surgery, I will not be healed. If God predestines heat to fill my home by fire in the furnace, then if there is no fire, there will be no heat. Would you say, “Since God predestines that the sun be bright, it will be bright whether there is fire in the sun or not”?

Prayerless: No.

Prayerful: I agree. Why not?

Prayerless: Because the brightness of the sun comes from the fire.

Prayerful: Right. That’s the way I think about the answers to prayer. They are the brightness, and prayer is the fire. God has established the universe so that in larger measure it runs by prayer, the same way he has established brightness so that in larger measure it happens by fire. Doesn’t that make sense?

Prayerless: I think it does.

Prayerful: Then let’s stop thinking up problems and go with what the Scriptures say. Ask and you will receive. You have not because you ask not.


Supporting Our Persecuted Brethren – Part 3

“Sympathy is no substitute for action.” – David Livingstone, Missionary/Explorer

The last two posts introduced you to two ministries that support our brethren who are persecuted for the sake of the Gospel. I am familiar with both of them and encourage you to get to know them as well. I’ve included links below to their websites.

Here is one more:  http://www.frontlinemissions.info/

These ministries are not involved in politics or advancing denominationalism. The Gospel is their underlying drive and to help those who are persecuted for trusting in it, living it, and proclaiming it.

www.persecution.com;

www.opendoorsusa.org

Here are a couple of things that we can do:

  • Pray for these ministries. Pray what? For wisdom, discernment, access to the persecuted ones, courage, boldness, and support from the rest of the Body of Christ.
  • If you’re looking for a way to help remember to pray for your brethren, I keep something in my Bible. I have a couple different prayer items that I use like abookmarker.
    • Download this global map from Frontline Missions. Keep it in your Bible and follow the monthly prayer list. Each day is for a different country that is high risk for Christians.
    • I also have a monthly brochure from Opendoorsusa.org that gives specific situations and people to pray for each day of the month.
    • You can also get a daily prayer request sent to your email or mobile device from Voice of the Martyr. There are all kinds of ways to stay connected and support those who are on the front lines and who live in danger every day for their faith.
  • Consider supporting at least one of them, or a similar ministry, financially. I like that these ministries have different ways to financially support the work. Something new with Voice of the Martyr is “Adopt a Front-Line Worker.” Check it out.
  • Find out if they are holding an event in your area and go.
  • Subscribe to the ministries’ newsletters and publications.

A couple of recommended books—fiction and non-fiction:

There are other ministries that support our persecuted brethren. Check them out and give your support in whatever way you can.  Just don’t forget about your brethren.


What Peace We Often Forfeit

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) — 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 

You’ve probably heard a dozen or so sermons on this scripture, as I have.  Consider this a “reminder post” of an essential Biblical exercise of faith and love, or love and faith, if you prefer that order.

We’re told not to be anxious about anything or IN anything because we can take our cares to a heavenly Father. But wait … why? We’ve become pretty good at stressing, being anxious, and worrying, so why stop practicing something we’re good at, right? I mean, when you’re good, you ARE GOOD!

When I was in school the worst case of anxiety that I had to deal with could usually be cured by stopping by the Sunoco gas station and getting a cold Mountain Dew for ten cents.  If the anxiety was peaking, I’d ask for the latest STP decal for my bicycle. All was made good.

stp367

Today, Mountain Dew is no longer ten cents and STP stickers … ?  You can’t do the dew like ya used to.

Back to my point

 Even though we don’t have to be anxious, we practice anyway. We like to quote from the Epistle of James and say that we’re “doers of the Word” but we placed an exception to this rule because we find it too easy to practice anxiousness and worry (and fear and etc.).  What we should be doing is encouraging one another to stop practicing such faithlessness in our heavenly Father and practice Philippians 4:6-7.

My wife pointed out the verse from an old hymn. Like so many of the old hymns there is a treasure that we tend to sing right through without drinking from its well.

 What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Back to Scripture

We know Philippians 4:6 and can probably quote it, right? We’re told to take our anxiety somewhere specific—“to God.”  When you’re worried, anxious, and doing some old-fashioned ‘fretting’:

  • Don’t take it out on your spouse or children.
  • Don’t take it to work with you.
  • Don’t throw it in with some gossip and share your downer with others; and
  • Don’t do a Flip Wilson excuse or use Adam’s excuse that he gave to God in the Garden of Eden.

Take your anxiety; fears; hopelessness; cares; worries; and heartaches TO GOD in prayer.  Take them, all of them to God.

I’ve heard people yell at the Devil about their problems. I’ve heard people dumping their complaints on others.  When we pass the blame onto someone/something else, we are throwing off our responsibilities rather than taking them on. Even if … even if … the Devil is to blame (says Flip Wilson), the scripture tells us that we are to go to God, not to the Devil, with our problems. As far as sharing your “Debbie-Downers” with others, outside of fishing for pity you’re not going to catch much on that hook. Take your troubles to the Almighty God.

BTW: I’m not saying that your troubles will go away.  They may be in your life for a purpose, perhaps to change you rather than the circumstance. But, verse 7 does hold some good news to those who lean to live out verse 6.

Philippians 4:7 (NKJV) — 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

What A Friend We Have In Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

If the above didn’t help, try this rebuke from Bob Newhart: