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In 1637 in Aberdeen, Scotland, during the period of his forced exile from his beloved church in Anworth, Rutherford wrote the words: "He (God) knoweth all that is done to me, how that when I had but one joy and no more, and one green flower that I esteemed to be my garland, He came in one hour and dried up my flower at the root, and took away mine only eye and my only crown and garland." The significant truth is this: Rutherford recognized the hand of God in the robbery of men. He recognized that God was allowing his spirit to be broken. Psalm 119:78a, 78b, 86b 9. The broken spirit is born in the heart of one who becomes the object of unjustified, "perverse" (crooked) dealings. Matthew 5:10-12; I Peter 2:19-21. We have observed HOW THE BROKEN SPIRIT IS BORN. Now let us look at another aspect of The Broken Spirit. One of the saintly Puritans of many generations ago prayed, "Lord, give me perpetual broken-heartedness." Now why would a man pray that kind of a prayer? Why would anyone open himself up to constant brokenness? I was talking over the counter with a business woman on one occasion. It seems that there is just no end to her family problems. As she stood there in the depths of lonely frustration, she exclaimed in exasperation, "Oh God, I am just so tired of hurting all the time!" One thing is absolutely certain. It would take a man or woman totally yielded to the purpose of glorifying God to ask God for perpetual brokenness. It would take a person who has had an enlightening taste of what The Broken Spirit can accomplish. And this is what we are going to consider next. Brokenness-What It Does 1. The Broken Spirit makes a believer mercy-conscious. It makes a Christian aware of God's great grace. The unbroken spirit is an ungrateful spirit-a spirit not conscious of mercy
or grace. Willian Jenkyn, the Scottish covenanter said, "Such is grace
that it shines… most glorious (appears most wonderful) when He who has been through the most appreciates grace the most. See Luke 7:37-48 "To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." Brokenness of spirit makes a Christian mercy-conscious. Brokenness of spirit makes a believer grateful for grace!
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