Sunday devotional 11/4/12: BROKEN

Sometimes we may feel utterly broken.  We may have great plans for our future, with years of preparation and expense, yet in the end they seem to have failed. We wonder if we have gone down the wrong path.  Perhaps we have been married and thought we were doing the right things, yet it seems destined to fall apart.  We may feel rejected or like we failed somehow.  Or maybe we have an activity that continually pulls at us and keeps us from doing the things we ought to be doing.  It may be so strong that it is an addiction.  Then the more we try to stop it, the worse it becomes until we have sunk so low we feel we can never get back up again. When we feel broken we may feel as though we are worthless and discarded.  Feelings of brokenness can be devastating.  

I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.  Psalm 31:12 NIV

But our Lord and Savior never throws us away.  He can use us when we are broken.  In fact, when we are in our weakest most defeated state, sometimes then we are most useful for his purposes.  We learn and grow through our trials.  As we turn to him and lean on his strength and power to carry us through, we witness to his great mercy.  When he heals our wounds and lift us up again, we have a unique perspective and can reach out to other broken souls.  No matter how shattered we feel, God still loves us and has use for us.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  2 Corinthians 12:9a NIV

There is beauty in our brokenness.  When God puts us back together again, he is like a stained glass artist.  Individual shards of colored glass may appear useless and even dangerous, but soldered together in a pleasing pattern by a master at his craft they become a beautiful piece of art.  And when God shines forth from within us, it is then that we are most beautiful.  Praise God for my brokenness!

Dear Father Creator in heaven,  We thank you for making us so beautiful, even in our broken state. Help us to see that even in our weakness we are loved and can be useful as we shine your light to the world. Use us to your glory.  In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

written by Jan Andersen