The necessity of being broken

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

We cannot truly be at peace in our relationship with God unless we have experienced the brokenness of God. This is why so many of our churches are dead and lifeless, operating as a shell of what God desires for them to be. We are proud churches, well-dressed on the outside, but maintaining broken programs and lifeless vestiges of worship that bring tears to the eyes of God. We crucify Christ yet again, week after week, refusing to soften our hearts before His call. Refusing to move beyond pharisaical repitition and into new life. We fear the pain that is necessary to induce a broken and contrite heart. It is true that the process is painful. It is true that the process is sometimes devoid of laughter and happy moments. But it is equally true that the end result is a heart that is capable of joy in any circumstance; a heart that is capable of loving the unlovely, caring for the ones who hurt us. God, bring me into that place with You. Give me a heart that You will not despise.