A Cure for the Un-fixable…

Broken.  Have you ever been there before friend?  Feeling broken that is.    I have felt broken a lot lately.  Not the kind of “broken” from being hurt by someone or extremely sad.  I have felt “un-fixable”.

Lately I have just had that “broken” feeling.  My energy has been low and my spirits have been down.  I am envious at times of those who can run non-stop and do whatever they want whenever they want to because I don’t always have that luxury. 

I may not always look like it on the outside, but my body is sick on the inside.  I have an autoimmune disease.  It’s very restricting at times, but I refuse to let it define me. 

I believe God can heal and He does.  I believe He loves me despite my uncomfortable circumstances.  I believe He has a plan for my life.  Regardless of what I might “feel” as I face the ups and downs of life, I KNOW God is faithful and true. 

I love the way the Message version shares this hope I have and know is true in Ephesians 3:20-21 

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.”                           

I yield to God’s hands and His plan.  Even though I may not understand all of the Why’s of life, I trust Him with my health.  I pray for healing, but more than that… I seek the Healer. 

I determined a long time ago that even if He NEVER heals me,

I will continue to live for Him.

Can I tell you a secret? … In my deepest and darkest moments struggling with this sickness, God has ALWAYS been there.  He has never left me alone.  He has always been faithful.  Why would I ever walk away from a faithful God?  There’s not a chance.

Do you feel broken?

Do you feel… un-fixable by God?  Have you felt like damaged goods or a lost cause?  If so, I have some good news for you and for me…

God loves broken things...

Psalm 34:18 says…

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

When we feel broken… God is near.  We are not abandoned or left to drown in our sorrow and despair.  He is close by and He cares for us.  He cares enough to rescue us out of the darkness consuming our hearts and lives.

Brokenness may very well be the path that leads to breakthrough.  In our brokenness we position ourselves to be personally rescued by God. 

Broken.

I can think of a few people in the Bible who are “Kindred Spirits” when it comes to feeling broken.  They may have even felt a little un-fixable by God.  They were in desperate need of a breakthrough…

David was broken over his sin and how far he had walked away from God.  Mary and Martha were broken over their brother dying.  Nehemiah was broken over the sad state of his home town.  Esther was broken over the potential annihilation of her people and the burden of her responsibility to try to save them.  Joseph was broken over being re-united with his long lost family after experiencing years of pain and sorrow.  Job was broken over losing everything he held close and dear to him.  The disciples were broken over losing their leader and Mary the mother of Jesus was broken over losing her son.  This list could go on and on.  The Bible is full of broken people.

Feeling “broken” isn’t always a bad thing.  It can actually draw us closer to God and helps us become more dependent on Him.  Think about the people above that I mentioned… How were they drawn closer to God through their brokenness?

Well… David wrote a Psalm and changed his ways to move closer to God… “Create in me a clean heart Oh God…” (51:10).   Martha ran to meet Jesus after her brother had already died.  She implored Him to do a miracle on her brother’s behalf.  Later her brother was instantly healed and brought back to life.  Nehemiah prayed for favor, acted by God’s direction, and rebuilt the city.  Esther fasted and prayed, and stepped out in faith to do her part until God did a miracle.  Joseph forgave years of hurts his family had caused him.  Instead of condemning them, he embraced them, and helped them build a new life together.  Job fell at God’s feet and continued to serve Him regardless of what He lost and God ended up giving him back double what He had before.  The disciples and the mother of Jesus received their beloved back witnessing a miracle that changed them forever.

Broken.  Why do you “feel” broken today?  Is it a broken relationship, a low self-esteem, a debilitating illness, financial trouble, the loss of a loved one, a challenging child, or maybe feelings of rejection or defeat?  No matter what the cause, I challenge you to place it all in the hands of God.  He has the ability to create something beautiful out of our yielded broken hearts and lives.

Matthew West, a contemporary Christian music artist, wrote a song that really connects with my heart on this whole idea of feeling "Broken".  It's called... "Broken Things".  You can listen to it at the link HERE.

It’s hard for me to completely comprehend something beautiful being unearthed from brokenness, but I do believe it’s possible.  Just think about a stained glass window.  It takes a lot of effort and skill to create such an incredible masterpiece like that.

I imagine hundreds of broken pieces laid strewn all across the floor before its artist in a multitude of colors.  Each piece lying there is unique in shape and size, yet still holding its jagged edges.  They are broken and ugly alone, yet when pieced together with others in creative fashion a masterpiece is born. 

The culmination of this artist’s work is revealed the moment the sun shines through the window, in all of its glory, bringing each individual piece to life.  In a kaleidoscope of colors, the image is displayed in its intended form for all to see and enjoy.

Simply Beautiful.  I imagine that is what God thinks when He looks at us in our broken state.  We are broken pieces… in all shapes and sizes, yet when laid, yielded in His hands… beautiful!   

YOU… are a masterpiece in the making friend.  Believe it!

Are you “feeling” broken today?  If so, I challenge you to lay your brokenness at His feet.   Beauty awaits the broken heart completely yielded to Him.  Will you join me in yielding to His perfect plan today?

Living to leave a legacy,

Julie