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THURSDAY, JANUARY 15 — BROKENNESS BEFORE BLESSING

Psalm 51:17
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Brokenness is not weakness; it is spiritual honesty. David writes Psalm 51 not from a place of victory, but from the wreckage of failure. And yet, it is here—on shattered ground—that God declares His pleasure. The sacrifice God desires most is not performance, position, or polish, but a heart that has been cracked open before Him.

A broken spirit is not a despairing spirit. It is not self-hatred or hopelessness. Biblical brokenness is the humility that comes when we stop defending ourselves and start agreeing with God. It is the moment we drop our excuses, lower our guard, and say, “Lord, You are right.” Revival never begins with self-justification; it begins with surrender.

We live in a culture that rewards confidence and masks vulnerability. Even in the church, brokenness can feel dangerous. But God promises that He will not despise a contrite heart. He does not turn away from it. He draws near. Where pride repels Him, humility invites Him.

Many believers long for God’s blessing without embracing God’s breaking. But the pattern of Scripture is clear: before the crown comes the cross; before exaltation comes humility; before blessing comes brokenness. God does His deepest work in hearts that are soft enough to be shaped.

Brokenness strips away pretense. It exposes sin not to shame us, but to heal us. It opens the soul to grace in ways success never can. The soil of revival is watered with repentance, not reputation.

Today, ask God to give you a broken and contrite heart. Do not fear it. Brokenness is not where God leaves you—it is where He meets you. And He always meets His people with mercy.