by June Friesen
2 Corinthians 4:7-12 tells us that if you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!
Opportunity in Brokenness
Not in one’s own body or another’s body
Physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually-
We all desire and aim for perfection and might I add sometimes demand it.
Life does not always and might I say almost never allows for perfection,
We may attempt to produce it in our own life at times
Usually to make us hopefully feel good-
Yet often it just leads to more frustration, emptiness and possibly an attitude of just giving up.
Brokenness – it often produces cracks –
Cracks are those places where what is real can leak/sneak out –
Those things that are not always beautiful, shiny and welcomed by others –
Those things that well up from somewhere within breaking one’s beautiful, peaceful being.
Opportunity can result from brokenness and cracks I have been told –
Those places of hurt, disillusion, disappointment, and confusion –
Where things said and things done just do not seem to match up
And you say there is opportunity for life to grow through the cracks.
Allowing others to reach out and take one’s hand, offer a word of hope,
Encourage one to keep going….even when the cracks seem so foreboding.
Brokenness – cracks – frustration – just plain old tiredness
Are a reality for some if not all of us at times,
And when times bring frustration upon frustration
And pain upon pain,
It all stacks up until it begins to make one unsteady and wobbly –
And all of a sudden it may even topple over and maybe even come crashing down!
Yes, brokenness, pain, frustration – they are a reality for sure,
God you are above and over me as well as everyone and all things –
Please give me wisdom to see the possibility of the life that you want to grow through my cracks –
And even when the cracks are rather huge, deep and even downright ugly –
May it be that I allow Your Spirit to grow right through them
Offering life and healing to everyone who is around me.
To You O God be the glory and honor and praise now and forever Amen and amen.
photo by June Friesen