Devotional

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law oh Christ." Galatians 6:2

This is from a Women of Faith book called "Irrepressible Hope" and this particular devotional was written by Nicole Johnson and is titled "Stained-Glass Redemption"

I will just paraphrase the story.. Basically Nicole talks about how she was moving across the country and how most of her loved possessions were broken in the moving process (her great grandmother's antique rocking chair's arm was broken in two and her stained glass was shattered)..Things that were irreplaceable and held a special place in her heart were broken forever. She talks about how she actually felt like her own arm had been broken off and how she just cried.. I think we have all been in this situation where something precious to us has been broken or ruined beyond repair. She went on to say how a friend helped her pick up the pieces of glass and throw them away.

She says that on the journey of life many things that are most personal to us and have enormous value get broken. It makes us feel wounded, shattered and things that were once whole are in pieces on the ground and we often don't know what to do next...We often cry and grieve then after a while we start to pick up the pieces and clean up the mess. Sometimes we see another pair of hands lean down and help pick up the pieces and these hands help heal and hold along with our broken dreams.

Later in the story she tells about her friend that helped pick up the pieces of glass and how she took them to a women who made a whole new piece of art using those broken pieces. She talks about how beautiful it is to her because of all the brokenness it came from.

This is my favorite part of the story....Nicole says....
"This is the most powerful picture of what we are to do with all the broken pieces of our live.. When we are shattered, wounded, and fragmented by life, we should never throw away the pieces. After we cry and grieve, then we need to bend down and start to pick them up. Then with other helping hands, we bring the pieces to God. And the Craftsman redeems them. He makes them something new, beautiful, interesting, and WHOLE. And his light shines through it, showing off all the colors and shapes of our brokenness."

I can't say that everyone has had some instance in their life that they have been so wonded and broken from a situation.. I know I have though and I am/have been picking up the broken pieces and handing them to the Lord to make something beautiful in my life out of the pieces. Life is hard and I'm learning this more and more over the past few years. Sometimes its going to be pretty overwhelming and hard but know there is someone who can make sense and something beautiful out of all the whirlwind gives me some peace.

I hope everyone is having a good Monday and start to the week! Be a blessing to someone today:o)