The Breaking

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

Before a horse can be used or ridden he has to be broken. A part of his spirit, his will, has to be broken--brought under submission. He has to be broken of the desire to fight the bit, the habit of trying to displace a rider, the insistance on going where and doing what he chooses. But something happens when a horse is broken, something that even starts as he's being broken--he's able to develop a relationship of trust and even love with his trainer or rider. And because of this relationship, both horse and rider have more fulfilled, productive, and joyful existances.
We're the same way. We have to be broken before we can learn to trust and love God. He has to teach us to submit to His will so that we can live with purpose and harmony. But all that starts with the breaking. When you feel like your heart and spirit are shattered, remember that God's just bringing you to the place you need to be in order to have a fulfilling and meaningful relationship with Him built on mutual trust and love. The breaking is just the beginning.