The Art of Broken Pieces
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Let’s say you dropped a glass cup and it shattered…what is your initial response?
“Sweep it up and throw it away”?
Usually when we break something, we don’t have to think twice about what to do with it. It usually goes in the trash. Trying to repair something like that would be “too much” time, attention, energy, and maybe even money.
Many years ago, in grade school art class, I remember creating a “mosaic”— a work of art fashioned by a bunch of broken pieces of an object held together by grout. It’s usually done with fragments of glass or plastic. I often wondered how could those small bits that are different shapes, sizes, and even colors make such a sweet piece of art. They are broken pieces.
To us, broken pieces require ‘too much,’ so we just throw them away. But to God…that is not the case. Like a blacksmith and a potter, God uses His refining fire to reshape us, purify us, and strengthen us.
“In this you rejoice greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, which is much more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested and purified by fire, may be found to result in [your] praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7 AMP)
In our imperfections, He actually wants to make us new. He doesn’t sweep us up and throw us away as if we are useless. It’s not “too much” for Him to restore us. After all, we are His Masterpiece. A piece of Him. It is His desire to restore us by turning the pain and rubble of our brokenness into beauty—a mosaic.
One of the stories that comes to mind when thinking about brokenness is the woman at the well (John 4). She was so broken. She was in pieces. She was hiding. Think about it, she went to the well at an unpopular time when no one else would be there. She had 5 husbands and was currently living with a man that was not her husband. Yep, she was what the old folks would call “shacking” haha. Yet, after some dialog with Jesus, He wanted to make an exchange with her. He spoke truth to her and that was what she needed to begin transformation to start piecing her back together. She received hope and was desiring to be made whole again…so much so that she ran back to her hometown to share what took place.
Dr. Tony Evans says “Brokenness is a blessing because it puts us on the road to a breakthrough.”
We all experience times of brokenness. Whether it be by our own sin, or circumstances of life, either way it produces a desire to be made whole.
If your brokenness is a result of sin, it is so important to have a heart of repentance before God.
Sin causes a breach in our perspective of God, ourselves, and everything else. Our senses become skewed when we choose a lifestyle that we were not fashioned for. Our vision becomes like a blurry windshield, our sense of smell (discernment) gets weakened, and our ability to hear Him becomes diminished.
Ever heard the saying “what you starve will die, what you feed will grow?” Having a heart of repentance puts us in right alignment. It helps feed and strengthen our spirit. That allows God’s empowering grace to do it’s work in us. I encourage you to read “Killing Kryptonite” by John Bevere. It’s such a great read! It’s about overcoming some of those things that easily “beset” us.
If your brokenness is a result of life circumstances (grief and loss, family issues, health, financial problems, etc.) talk to someone.
I will say this again! TALK TO SOMEONE! In addition to much prayer and personal application of scripture, I believe there are people in the body of Christ—counselors/therapists, life coaches, etc.—that are gifted to help others navigate through these things in order to overcome. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (Psalm 34:18 NLT)
God wants us each to be made whole. When we are broken, it is His desire to restore us. I want you to know that in His eyes, your value doesn’t decrease. In your struggle, He doesn’t love you any less. He actually wants your broken pieces, because every part of you belongs to Him. In you, He is creating the masterpiece He planned for you to be long before you were even born. You are priceless and unique to Him. You are a fearfully and wonderfully made masterpiece!
“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].”