Never Too Broken To Be Fixed

Matthew 18:11-14: “11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish” (NKJV).

A couple of weeks ago, I visited a place of worship through an invite. The name of the place, I have chosen not to reveal because I will not give it direct publicity. However, I confess that I have no intentions of returning. In the midst of the sermon, the pastor stated, “broken people cannot be helped.” Much to my dismay, at least half of the congregation shouted in agreement.

To this date, I am without knowledge of any Scripture that supports the pastor’s statement. In fact, Psalm 34:18 reads, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (NIV). Do you see how this Scripture aligns with verse 14 of Matthew chapter 18, referenced above? The Bible narrates numerous accounts of Jesus working in the profession of fixing (healing) broken people. If Jesus is the cornerstone of the church, which is where the sick should seek spiritual help and guidance, where is the sensibility and sensitivity in saying, “broken people cannot be helped”?

Members of clergy should exercise more discernment in speech when addressing the church body. Imagine, a person sitting on the pew among a congregation of churchgoers, who may be contemplating suicide, or has been victimized by violence or abuse, or battling an addiction. They just heard the pastor or a minister say, "broken people cannot be helped." The declaration corrodes the person's belief that God and the church can heal and deliver. This is not what Jesus Christ, or Lord and Savior, wants us to believe.

And so, I want to talk to you about the hope you can find in the Heavenly Father. It was four years ago that I submitted to counseling as I accelerated towards a mental breakdown. (I have spoken about this a few times in other blogs.) There were issues and experiences of my past and present that outpaced and threatened to drown me. Quite often, the intensity of my depression was such that I could barely get out of bed. I wanted to stay home from work and be inaccessible. My temperament became increasingly unstable so much that it began to manifest in various aspects of my life. I drank more, had several addictions and a short fuse.

Several friends advised me to seek professional help. Eventually, I heeded their recommendation. While I underwent clinical intervention, my therapist suggested that I seek out a church. Reflecting on my experience from a holistic perspective, counseling and church are some of the best things that happened to me. The therapist helped me to develop self-confidence and improve my self-esteem. God delivered me from alcohol consumption and dependency. And, when I became active in the church, I met some people that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Through experience and vicarious learning, I have discovered that there is nothing that can heal the way the Heavenly Father can. People and relationships, sex, drugs, alcohol, money and material possessions are all temporary. A person can acquire any of these things today, revel in the pleasures these objects of interest activate, only to find their problems still waiting. Everything material has a short shelf life and the pleasures we seek from these tangible comforts are temporary. The Holy Spirit can heal all wounds. All that is required from us is a dedication of faith and a desire for deliverance.

Hosea 4:6 begins, “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (NKJV). Some people are a thought away from throwing in the towel. They do not realize that God is waiting for them to put their trust in Him and believe. Learning about Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and change us, equips us with the power to deal with challenging situations.

Perhaps some of the people who will read this blog are looking for a church where they can be healed. Perhaps some people are looking for a church where their faith can be restored, and the Body of Christ is authentic in love and fellowship. Churches with these characteristics exist and anyone can find them if they look. According to Scripture, anyone can find the Lord if they are in earnest (Deuteronomy 4:29; Proverbs 8:17; Jeremiah 29:13). Do not be afraid to visit churches until the Holy Spirit draws you to a church home. It will happen. In three of the states that I have lived, I found a church home every time. Ask a coworker or search on Google, but by all means, find a church fellowship. There are ministries who truly want to help the lost and broken.

You can recite the prayer below or initiate your own intimate conversation with the Lord. You have direct access to the Father through faith. Prayer doesn’t have to be elaborate. If you don’t believe me, then read Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses; For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession [a]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (NKJV).

"Heavenly Father, I ask You to help me today. Give me the strength to make it through this day. You know my issues. You know my past and present circumstances. You know my brokenness and I want to be healed and delivered. Guide me to a place of worship where authentic leadership and love abound, and I can mature in faith. In Jesus name I pray, Amen."

You are never too broken to be healed. You are more than a conqueror. If you have survived until now, you possess the strength to go farther.

Be well in grace and peace!

Blue Wolf Penman