Broken People

Not long ago, I found a great quote from the book “Love Does” by writer and motivational speaker, Bob Goff.

“It has always seemed to me that broken things, just like broken people, get used more; it’s probably because God has more pieces to work with.”

My thoughts turn to broken things. In my mind I see an old wooden chair that after years of daily use, finally broke under the pressure of one burden too many. The chair no longer functions as intended but maybe the remaining pieces will find a purpose. I imagine shards of glass from a carelessly handled mirror. Even if the pieces are glued back together, the reflection in the mirror is never the same.

I’m broken too. I guess we all are. In the past few years I learned the people and places I thought were safe, really weren’t. I found I could not trust those who were in a position to protect me. I was left vulnerable, shaken, and deeply wounded. I no longer function in the same way and, in many ways, I will never be the same.

I wondered how this “new me” could continue to function and serve the God I love. The answer to that is pretty simple – it’s not about me. My pride and self-sufficiency are stripped away as God uses the broken pieces of my life to minister to others in ways I could never imagine. Jesus is my safe place and my trust is found in Him. He has taken the broken pieces of my life and re-purposed them to reflect His image, the image of the living God.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:18 (NLT)