Getting Started Series

Finding Wholeness in a Broken World

Pt 2 – Getting Started

John 4:7-26; 39-45

“I just want someone to help me.” Those were the words that started this series in my heart – as the words of a young man echoed the words of so many others. Into the brokenness of this world the words of Jesus pour out like water to wanderer in the desert. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” Two longings fill our hearts in this world; the longing to be loved and the longing to be whole. Our hearts cry out that there must be something better than the brokenness that we are living in. Marriages, homes, and lives languishing in unfulfilled potential and shattered dreams. So the question we left last week with was – where do I start – how do I begin this journey to wholeness that comes with following Jesus. To answer that question let’s look at a person who started the journey.

John 4

Confront your brokenness – If you want to be whole you have to stop justifying, explaining, and rationalizing brokenness. I said last week that the most damaging lie of the enemy is “It can’t get any better than this.” I love the way Jesus handles this situation. He cuts right to the chase “If you knew who I was you would ask and I would give you a gift that you can’t imagine.” Jesus knows the thirst that is in her – he see’s her loneliness, her pain, her hearts longing. She doesn’t see it but He does. Sometimes like my old friend Henry our pain and brokenness becomes an old friend. Jesus gets right to the heart of the matter – “Go, call your husband and come here.” Two schools of thought exist 1) that she had been married and put away by her husband 5 times and now was ready to get married again. 2) that she was a woman of suspect morality having lived with many men in immoral relationships over time. It honestly doesn’t matter – the reality of her plight remains the same – her heart isn’t whole – her life isn’t whole. Jesus says let’s stop playing games and beating around the bush let’s talk about what’s holding you back. If we want to get better we have to admit we are broken. If we want our marriages to get better we have to stop blaming each other for why they are broken and start picking up the pieces. If our relationships keep falling apart we need to take a look at who we are and what our part in that is. If our children are running wild we need to stop casting blame and start looking for a better way.

Embrace Positive Change – You can’t have it both ways. You can’t be who you are and who you want to be at the same time. The truth is that brokenness in life requires fundamental change. One of the reasons that life doesn’t get better for us is that we are so resistant to change.

The Blame Game – It’s their fault – I don’t need to change they need to change. Well maybe positive change starts with you. You cannot control what anyone else does but you can control what you do. Change begins at the place of most control.

Pride Lie – I’m fine everyone else is just stupid. Change starts in the mirror. Take ownership of your part of the problem. Requires self-awareness – if you don’t have it get help.

Pain-o-meter – Truth is that experience tells us that “people change when the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change.”

We have been created for more than this. Jesus offers us life and wholeness that are not found as a last resort. No one can keep you from being all that God created you to be but you. If we are willing to change He can show us a better way. I have said before if you are not willing to change then get used to your life as it is. If you always do what you’ve always done you will always get what you’ve already got.

Move – your desire must direct your actions. 5 frogs on a log. Desire is not enough. It’s not enough to want to be whole. It’s not enough to want things to get better. You have to make them better. Wholeness is not going to sneak up and grab you. Our desire for more must be married to actions that produce more. Our desire for change must be married to actions that illicit change. Stop letting life happen to you and begin to live life as it was intended to be lived. Jesus says to broken people – follow me. Stop following you and start following me. Things will not get better until you begin to move.