The Blessing of Brokenness (Part 2)

When you can look at your own wounds but at the same time be prepared to heal the wounds of others...then you know God is using your brokenness for better use.

Every leader will experience JOY and PAIN.  It's inevitable.  We would much rather have the joy...but honestly, it's the lessons learned from the pain that actually propel us into our future.

Reality of the Moment > PAIN < Vision of the Future

Remember when Apostle Paul was sailing to Rome and his ship was being tossed by the storm called "Euroclydon?"  He tells all 276 members of the crew...

• Acts 27:25 "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me."

God had given Paul a VISION of the good that would come out of the bad.

When God gives us a vision for the future...

1. Delays may occur.
2. Suffering and hardships may result.
3. Doubts may arise and tempt us.
4. Results may differ from what we expected.

#1 A Servant Leader is a leader that embraces BROKENNESS.

Contributors to a broken spirit...

1. Circumstances overwhelm us.
2. Suffering overtakes us.
3. Words and deeds that harm us.
4. Friends use and abuse us.
5. Family members misunderstand us.

God doesn't reject a broken spirit...

Psalms 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

• Brokenness purifies our ambitions.
• Brokenness allows us to see our own blind spots.
• The breaking process produces a leader that can be trusted.
• I've yet to see a leader God has used tremendously who has not been broken.
  
  

2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

In 1988 Steven Curtis Chapman released the song "His Strength Is Perfect" on the album "Real Life Conversations."  The chorus simply says...

• "His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.  He'll carry us when we can't carry on.  Raised in His power, the weak become strong.  His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect."

2 Questions we must ask...

1. Is my brokenness GROWTH PRODUCING?
2. Is my brokenness GROWTH INHIBITING?

The Fruits of Brokenness are...

1. Humility
2. Authenticity
3. Integrity
4. Sensitivity

Paul said in Ephesians 4:1-2 "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love."

Seven ways to spot a Humble Spirit

1. Humility does not demand its own way.
2. Humility does not seek attention or credit.
3. Humility forgives when offended, but is hard to offend.
4. Humility does not criticize others.
5. Humility produces a teachable spirit.
6. Humility exudes an attitude of service (service is doing mundane things that help others)
7. Humility produces a gracious spirit.

How do we RESPOND to PAINFUL CONFLICT situations?

1. By FOCUSING on our relations with Christ.
2. By YIELDING responsibility of the "led."
3. By LEADING pastorally out of the pain and brokenness.
4. By EXPECTING trials, temptations, verbal abuse, and, at times, rejection.
5. By RELATING to those in the body of Christ as brothers and sisters in Christ. (even though evidence may not support their testimony.)

We lead as "WOUNDED LEADERS" with a broken heart by EMBRACING BROKENNESS.

1. God uses brokenness to draw us closer to Himself.
2. Our brokenness can develop Christ-like character qualities in us.