You Are Beautifully Broken

The world is a broken mess. War. Disease. Murder. Politics. Religion. You name it, and there’s bad news. One year ago, 180 members of the church that I attended, including me and my husband, chose to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church (UMC). At the time, our hearts and spirits were broken.  

There are so many things that can’t be fixed. Broken objects lose their value. When something breaks, it goes in the garbage can and we buy something newer. But every now and then, something that is broken can become even more valuable.

In the world of Japanese art, not all broken things are sent to the dumpster. In fact, there is a specialized technique–Kintsugi–for repairing broken pottery.  The art of Kintsugi, a word meaning “golden joinery” or “golden repair,” is the art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with a bonding agent mixed with a highly valued element such as powdered gold, silver, or platinum.

Kintsugi treats breakage and repair as an event in the life of an object, and the repair shows that the broken object has been treasured and repaired rather than hidden or discarded. The time, care, and material spent to repair the break indicate the value of the object.

Isn’t that what God wants to do with us? Even when we are broken—and we’re all broken—God treasures us and He takes the time and care to repair us. He says that we are His valuable and beautiful children even when we are broken.

He takes us with all of our cracks and flaws and He heals us, if we will let Him. As children of the King, we can be made beautifully whole again.

Last year, when we left the UMC with broken hearts and spirits, we could not have imagined the seed that God planted in us. He took our brokenness and grew a spirit-filled church that is already an active part of the community. New Life Methodist has surpassed the 250-member mark, and we have a contract on an incredible piece of property. I’ll write more about our church’s journey in an upcoming article! 

As we approach Thanksgiving, we have much to be thankful for–a new church with a renewed spirit.

I leave you this morning with a song, some Scripture, and a prayer.

The song is “Beautifully Broken,” recorded by John Berry for the movie by the same name. (Music and lyrics by Tiffany Arbuckle Lee & Jenny Slate Lee)

Every tear, every doubt, Every time you’re down and out,

When you’re hurting, feeling shame, Or you’re numb in all your pain,

When you think you’ve lost your way, Or you’re too far gone to pray,

He’s still waiting there to say…

You’re beautifully broken, You’re made to be whole again.

Even a million stars doesn’t change Whose you are,

God’s still working, You’re beautifully broken.

Every fear, every fall, Every time you’ve lost it all,

When you’re stumbling with each step, And you’re haunted with regret,

When the darkness closes in, And you’re surrounded by your sin,

Listen to the voice within… 

You’re beautifully broken, You’re made to be whole again.

Even a million stars doesn’t change Whose you are,

God’s still working, You’re beautifully broken.

When you think you can’t go on, Surrender to the Father’s arms,

He’ll use the weak to lead the strong.

You’re beautifully broken, You’re made to be whole again,

Even a million stars doesn’t change Whose you are,

God’s still working, You’re beautifully broken.

 Scripture:

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed. Save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise.

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter. And all of us are the work of Your hand.

James 4:8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

Prayer:

May we turn our broken hearts and spirits to God the Father. May we allow Him to repair our flaws and imperfections.

May hope rise out of our brokenness.

May we be beautifully broken. Amen.

 Even a million scars doesn’t change Whose you are.