A Hammer

The voice of the Lord in power . . . . The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. —Psalm 29:4–5

When you recognize your need for a broken and a contrite heart, when you want to choose the pathway of brokenness, begin by opening the Word of God.

God’s Word has the power to soften the hard- ened soil of our hearts and shatter our stubborn self-life. God says, “Is not my word . . . like a hammer that pulverizes rock?” (Jer. 23:29). The psalmist stood in awe of the power of His Word: “The voice of the LORD in power. . . . The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars” (Psalm 29:4–5).

Each time we open His Word, whether in private or public settings, it should be with the intent of allowing the Word to break us. The same Word that serves as a hammer to break us will then become a balm to heal our hearts and a light to guide our footsteps in the pathway of humility.