I Give Up Brokenness

5th Day of Lent Devotional Series

Guest Post by: Tracy Higgins, South Central Fellowship

Psalm 30:11-12

You have turned my mourning into dancing. You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. To the end that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Our Father, who deeply loves us, plants seeds in our hearts that He wants to see flourish in our lives. Sometimes the seeds are watered by blessings, but sometimes the greatest growth comes from trials and pain in our lives. He loves to trade our ashes for beauty. He turns our brokenness into a burning passion to look into another's eyes and really see them, to ease the hurt and bring them to Jesus. In Jesus, who is our Well of Living Water (John 4:14), we can come together and share our stories, joys, sorrows, and even our brokenness.

All is never lost when God's hand is in it, and He can do a lot with broken people who seek His face. He transforms us and our stories; in turn, we love people in the middle of their stories.

I have been blessed but have had my crosses, as we all do. Yet how healing it is to know that as we are bearing our crosses and sometimes feeling crushed by them, God can use them to transform us and inspire us to look beyond ourselves to the heart of another. As we give our brokenness to Jesus, our Living Water, He takes that brokenness and grows it into a beautiful, living thing that nourishes others. Let's replace brokenness for beauty. Let's trade mourning for joy.

Father, we know that you trade ashes for beauty. Help us lay our hurt, pain, and disappointment at your feet so that we don't stay stuck there. Help us get up when the time is right, after we have sat in your presence. Use all we learn and the comfort we receive for your glory. Amen.