Broken and beautiful

My friend Chance posted this today:

"I don't believe or trust a person who pretends to be unbroken. How 'bout you guys? If you read or study progress, are you growing bored with the common approach?

Tip of the day for all the gurus, pastors, artists and counselors out there. The tide is turning. It's time to get honest or get off the stage."

I believe the ONLY approach worth having is one of humility and brokenness!

Growing up around ministry leaders and around it constantly as an adult, I've seen the enemy of our souls use two things to oppress many - discouragement and pride. But, if when we are down or puffed up, we learn to renew our minds and study to know what’s true, we won’t believe those lies and will see Christ lifted up instead of our self-righteousness or our own egos.

By His grace alone, we then get to choose to praise and glorify Him in the valleys as well as on the mountaintops. When we are deeply rooted in God’s word and His love, we will not even desire to be or follow after a leader who appears “good” or “perfect” because we will be so completely broken by own our sinfulness, we will only want to follow those who know their own wretchedness without Christ and we'll point others to Him and His sufficiency.

Some of the greatest Disciples of Christ on earth will never have the “platform” of thousands, although they may be the ones who teach that one that will grow up and be given the privilege and responsibility of what we deem a "large" platform... They will be the ones faithfully serving in the local children’s ministry week after week, changing messy diapers, offering hope to the addict, serving the widows, visiting the prisoners, adopting the orphans, fostering the abandoned, feeding the homeless, praying with the dying, mentoring the pregnant unwed teen or single mom, or any host of other things...

and they will be doing it with nobody around to pat them on the back, recognize them publicly, give them accolades or share their quotes on social media. Our sovereign God will reward them abundantly because of their surrender to letting Him work through them.

As Chance and Jennifer have been in my home before, heard me fuss at my children, seen my house a mess, etc., it is a HUGE encouragement to me that they are both so genuine and that you use the platform God has given them to bless and encourage others, while sharing real struggles and edifying those around them! I pray God continues to receive much glory in and through their family and while they are on the “stage” He has placed them on.

As I shared in my comment on his post - Humility only comes one way... through brokenness... and in truth, we are still all just train wrecks at the well of God’s grace! 