Beauty in Brokenness

I wrote this a few months ago after facilitating a grief support group for the first time. As I've done counseling this week, it keeps coming to mind...

Lord,

Life can be so hard.

We are so fragile…

all of us one breath away from eternity.

We forget until tragedy comes

and we are reminded

how we are all like flowers of the field.

And yet, You love us.

You value us.

You gave Your life for us.

But You also allow us

to be broken.

How do we make sense of that?

Where is the beauty in the shattered pieces?

We want You to make

something lovely of our lives

but more often it is more like a mosaic—

beauty out of a million broken pieces—

than the flawless work of art we imagine.

So, help us, Lord.

Give us strength in our brokenness.

Let us say with Job,

“Though He slay me,

yet will I trust Him.”

Is there a harder prayer to pray?

I do not know of one.

Come to us, take our pieces,

use them for Your purposes

Until we see, as You do,

The beauty in the brokenness.

My favorite post from a fellow blogger on finding beauty in brokenness is by Angie Smith from Bring the Rain. I hope you'll take a moment to read The Past and the Pitcher.

Comments

[Alison Headley]

I've been reading your site lately, and you're just how I remembered you from high school. Which may sound negative, but I mean that in the best way possible. Of all the people I knew in high school, you are one of the few that I really miss talking to. When I went to the ten-year reunion, I found myself wishing you were there.

Is it okay for me to read your site even if I'm an atheist? I hope so. I find your perspective on God to be refreshing. You have this really positive way of looking at your faith, which I don't see in a lot of other people. God doesn't exist just to tell you what the rules are, he's there to support and help you.

I sometimes feel down on Christianity because I see so many people who assume that it's primarily rules-based, that God is there to tell them what is right and wrong, and to tell them who is okay and who isn't. But you see God as a friend who guides you, who is there for you when you're doing well, and is there for you when you need some help. I don't see that perspective too often, and I have a lot of respect for it.

E-mail me at alison at my domain, and I'll respond. I'd love to hear from you.

[holley]

Alison,
It's great to hear from you! Thank you for your kind words--they mean a lot to me.
You're one of my oldest friends (didn't we meet in 4th grade?) and an amazing writer. I'm thrilled that you're here!
I've missed you and would love to get back in touch. I'll be e-mailing soon...
Holley