“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1

Brokenness seeps into our individual lives and prevents us from experiencing unity in the world. Even the word broken points to division and a lack of unity. Noted counselor, professor, and author Dan Allender explains,

“That word broken it isn’t just sad, it isn’t just even repentance; it’s a kind of description of a divided self. The more divided we are internally, the more division we’re going to create externally.”

Division and brokenness comes from within our own hearts and our own shame.

“It comes from that failure of seeing how broken we are inside, and that fragmentation always comes from shame. If you have known shame in this world, then there is something broken within you that needs healing; it needs restoration and that’s what the gospel is obviously about.”

The gospel offers more than just a coming redemption. It not only brings forgiveness of our sins, but a restoration to our hearts in the present time. Jesus came so that we can be completely restored and experience wholeness. Dan points to this truth in Isaiah 61,

“In Isaiah 61, what Jesus uses to announce His ministry to the world that He’s talking about is binding up; the healing of the brokenhearted.”

We need to allow God to restore the fragments in our own hearts, so that He can bring full restoration to the world, but that requires honesty with God.

“Tell the truth about your own struggles because He can bear it. Not only can He bear it, but He delights in you, especially for your willingness to not live in that haze or fog of your own self denial.”

Highlight: Restoring our hearts

Healing sexual brokenness