Embracing Brokenness

The other night while my wife was clearing the supper table, she happened to topple one of her glass cups on the table, shattering it to bits and pieces. My little girl commented that it wasn’t the first one that broke, while my wife gathered the pieces, and discarded them in the trash. She purchased these beautiful glasses a while ago, however, the original count is getting less due to their fragility. Some more substantial ones have found their way to her cupboard now, although not as elegant, they should be able to handle the knocks of life a little better.

People are a lot like these glass cups; one ready to break at a moment’s notice, while others more resilient. Every person has their strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities many as a result of what life has brought their way. However, in reality, this has nothing to do with their real value. Everyone is created for the time and purpose for which they live.

While some have happy healthy memories others have dark secrets, hidden away where no one can see. Past trauma and abuse have left them broken and feeling worthless and used inside. Broken beyond repair, like the broken cup, only to be discarded by those around them. They may have been told to get over it, move on with life, others have had worse things happen to them. The pain goes deeper, permeating every aspect of their being. In this hurt, they find everything hurts, like one big wound with little to no relief. Their minds tell them that everyone and everything is out to get them, and they hide, trying to avoid the pain inside. They regard the world with suspicion because it has let them down. Some may have been told that if they truly loved God, they would not be where they are today, taking away even their hope that God loves and cares about them.  

Others try to hide their brokenness with indifference, or boldness, striving extra hard to please others. While others hide behind their closed doors, dealing with their pain in unhealthy ways, feeling unloved, unlovable, and unnoticed by the world. And some, act out their pain and suffering, wreaking havoc in the lives of those around them. They are not wicked or bad people but hurting individuals acting out the pain that life has brought their way.

There are also the silent sufferers, you can see the pain in their eyes, and feel it in their broken spirits. They have faced life and failed, been put down and abused for too long. Or maybe they simply did not have a happy home. Perhaps a nonexistent relationship with their father or mother. Maybe they faced other childhood trauma. A mother to be, attempting momentarily escape from her troubles, leaves an unfortunate child with a life of suffering as a result of substance abuse. And there are little ones, longing for love. 

Many have come to believe the lies in their mind that they are no good, that they are ugly, God doesn’t love them and the world would be a better place without them. Possibly first uttered by the aggressor, no good, good for nothing, it’s your fault, while others have come to believe them by not being heard, or being silenced. They want to be free from the presence of guilt for thinking their own thoughts, thoughts of rebellion against life itself. It’s easy for them to see that they are the ones at fault, as they have come to believe. And those lies circulate over and over in their tired minds. Shame for even living, and the shame continues on and on. Then the silence how it hurts, more than anything the need to be heard, acknowledged, and noticed. The lack of affirmation that feels like rejection, hurts more than the hurt itself; driving home the shame and worthlessness.

And then, falling, falling, into the dark abyss of despair. No one to care, the road too hard, the pressure too much, a no good, an outcast. The darkness closes in, stifling, terrifying, while the mind tries to find some good to hold on to. All the misperceptions, misunderstandings, the horrific scenes of loss and failure, crashing in at the same time, nowhere to go, no one to go to. Not even able to express the tumultuous feeling tumbling and falling over each other in their mind. At the end of the rope some decide to escape life because it’s too difficult, not knowing about that “someone” who knows all about their pain and suffering. Jesus, has been there all along, waiting, waiting, for His beloved child to turn to Him. No life too lost, no distance too far for Him to find them. Satan and their minds say otherwise; it’s no use, there’s no hope, just give up. Turn away from God, your church family, they do not understand anyway, leave it all. And some do.

Our Savior would like to put us on a different path. He suffered lostness and brokenness for a group of people, a world who didn’t want Him; to bring hope for you and me. Isaiah 61:3 His body was broken by the beating, head bloodied by the crown of thorns. His tired body was too tired to carry His cross, His cross, because His Father had rejected Him, left Him to bear yours and my sins to death because He loved. Yes, He loved unto death. They pierced His hands with those spikes, as He voluntarily yielded Himself to death. And as He hung there, alone bearing our sins, He forgave them, because they did not know what they were doing. Jesus Himself was misunderstood, yet through that, He gave His life for our sins.

Some may say I’m too broken; I can never be healed. And yet God loves brokenness.  Psalm 51:17 In fact God broke the world because of sin. Man sinned and drifted away from God. In time God saw the sin and decided to destroy man from the face of the earth. He sent a flood to His beautiful perfect world, because of sin. As the waters descended from above, the earth opened beneath and waters gushed forth leaving brokenness and barrenness in its aftermath; and His beautiful earth was forever altered by the waters of the flood. The mountains rose rugged and naked beneath the skies, while the water carved deep paths in the earth and stone. God saw it, but He had a plan for His now broken earth. He let the trees and bushes cover the barren mountain sides. He created the rushing streams cascading down the rocks, dashing and rolling the rocks against each other, forming them into smooth round stones. Along the gurgling streams He let the moss and bushes grow, gracing the rocks with the green beauty. Though many times and seasons have passed, through the beauty, we hardly notice the broken rocks, yet there they are still visible. The lines on the rocks showing where they lay at peace in the earth are now, great slabs pushed up from beneath like as with a mighty hand. Giant boulders litter the landscape, tossed and broken, forgotten by the eons of time. A visible sign of tumult and violence as the waters shattered the earth.  

God gave man a love for this rugged beauty. The wind sighing in the trees, the water splashing and murmuring it song over the stones. The birds and wildlife have found life and safety in this brokenness drinking from the stream, nesting in the green trees by the waters edge. Fishes have found refuge in the deep pools, flitting and glistening in the sun dappled shadows. Unlike the constant lapping of the ocean upon the shore, which is always restless, this is a place of tranquility, quietness, and solitude. Majestic, in its beauty; beautiful, because a wonderful creator was able to transform brokenness in to beauty. He was able to redeem the broken world by a covering. He could have given up on man, tossed him aside like the broken glass, but He loved him in a very special way. He would like to do that for all our brokenness as well. He loves us with an everlasting love. He gave heaven’s best to die for us. He wants to cover us with His love taking our past present and future, turning it into beauty. As the streams of His love, forgiveness, and acceptance flow through our lives, it smooths the stones of brokenness and bitterness. And the melody of that stream flowing is like none other. It’s drawing to others, a place of rest for the weary, it’s a place of life which was once a barren mountainside. The sound is of thankfulness and praise. The sharp rocks do not become smooth overnight, neither is the covering of forgiveness done once and for all. But in time, as we let the water of God’s love flow, we will be transformed into His work of art and beauty. The pain may not disappear altogether, just like the broken rocks remain rocks; but we can drink from that stream and live again. We may not be able to see the beauty, but others will, and what we once thought was impossible, has been transformed in God’s beauty. And the result will be a tender heart, a gentle touch, a heart of compassion. Flexibility, understanding, love for the downtrodden and everlasting love for our Lord.

The woman was there, alone with this group of religious leaders. It was true, she was guilty and she had been caught. She listened as they explained her sins worthy of death. Her head hung low, and she wondered what the verdict would be. Stoning is what they were saying, for the sin she had committed. They believed in the law of Moses and wanted to see if He would agree. Jesus stooped and began to write on the ground, seeming oblivious to the accusations the men were making. He looked up at the men and said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” One by one the men grew silent and slipped out the door, being convicted of their own sins. Soon Jesus raised himself up and said, “Woman, where are thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?” She said, “No man, Lord.” “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” John 8:3-11

What welcome words! Jesus had set her free! This same Jesus is offering healing for every troubled and sin sick soul today. He is offering His love, compassion, and mercy. All we need to do, is reach out and believe it. He can take the most broken hearts and make them whole again.

God has made every person on earth beautiful and worthy of love. It was not an accident that you were created, though difficult to believe, you were created for His honor and glory. When we find our refuge and love in Him, He can then change our lives. We are then able to face the dire and unfortunate circumstances in life because our worth is in Him, and that is something that cannot be taken away. When we find our self-worth in the Lord, we are then able to embrace our brokenness, and see it as a way to understand others; and are able to extend that same love we have been shown to others who may still be suffering. It will not be easy, there will be dark times, but with Jesus, we are safe ever more.

God wants all of us to show His love, His compassion, and comfort. To be a safe place for the hurting souls, to weep with them in their tears over the loss of their lives. To offer understanding, though you have never walked in their shoes. Stand beside them without comparison; comparing will only make them feel worse. To listen without criticism, to let them know though you don’t understand, you care. To be a healing balm, to lift them up to God in prayer. To make them feel that though they feel broken, yet they a beautiful in God’s eyes. They were no mistake, but especially lovingly created for Him to be especially them. They have value, no matter what their mind tells them or what others say. Help them separate the emotional from the spiritual, that they are not crazy, and have not sinned, but are suffering the effects from post trauma. Most of all help them know they are loved by you and God.

Following are a few scripture references that show us the compassion and love of Jesus.

 

Jesus loved them John 11:33-35

The children Matthew 19:13, Mark 10:13, Luke 18:15

The Lepers Luke 17:11

The Blind Bartimaeus Mark 10:46

The woman who needed healing Matthew 9:20, Mark 5:25, Luke 8:43

The man with the possessed son Matthew 17:15, Mark 9:17

Jesus mission on earth Isaiah 61:1, Matthew 11:5, Mark 1:40, Luke 4:18, 7:22, John 20:21

Remaking of lives Jeremiah 18:1