(A post from the archives - - - November 2015)
We often shy away from others when we feel broken, less than our usual self. We hide away, tucking into those potent negative thoughts and allowing them to fester.
What if this brokenness, though, is what allows us to draw closer to God?
What if brokenness is part of God’s design to remind us of our humanity and our lack of control over earthly circumstances? That sounds deep, doesn’t it? Yet it has a genius simplicity to it - - - a simple message to return to God for His guidance in our daily walk...on our good days and our not-so-good days.
“Abide in Me, as I also will abide in you."
John 15:4
Throughout His Word, God sends us message of assurance, encouraging us to turn to Him. He wants us to start fresh with Him each day, to give us “daily bread” — relying on Him for what the day holds for us, allowing Him to unfold His beauty and bounty in HIS way. To focus on today, not tomorrow — this surrender is so hard because we have to admit that we cannot do it alone.
“Come to me, all you are are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…” Matthew 11:28
Sometimes we have to experience brokenness to become stronger. We have to acknowledge our weakness and examine our inner self to get through a rough patch. We have to hunker down and figure out how to cling to God’s mercy in difficult times. In the midst of burrowing into our brokenness we can discover His truths for us and also the grace to accept help out of our mess.
- - - There’s a poignant beauty in brokenness. - - -
A fallen tree provides a glimpse of what’s inside - - - the intricacy within, the striations in the bark, the growth patterns…just as a time of brokenness in our lives prompts us to slow down, to look at where we’ve been, and how we’ve grown or gone astrray.
Sometimes we have to pass through the grit of brokenness to find hope in healing.
A fallen tree provides us with a fresh perspective. It is no longer towering above where we can’t reach, but now it’s able to be climbed over and examined in minute detail. What was unattainable is now conquerable…we are able to overcome it because of its brokenness. This hulking timber that was once so majestically tall is now accessible to all the critters on the ground below, providing shelter, refuge, and even entertainment.
Squirrels scamper over it and under it. Children delight in walking down the strong trunk, balancing their bodies and feeling empowered when they make it across. In its fallen state, the broken tree provides a quiet interlude for families to stop and rest, for parents to lean in together while children explore.
We can sometimes overlook beauty in the Fallen in our hurry to get ahead.
A pile of fallen leaves is a collection of color and texture, a crunchy sound on a morning walk yet also a softening of the ground after a harsh summer. In our own fallen state we come together as we haven’t before because we are grounded. Like leaves that were so majestic and upright on branches waving in the breeze independently, we are now at rest together in a jumble. Whatever heights had been achieved, now all are on the same level. It’s at this ground level that we can relate to one another, to see our similarities and admit shared vulnerabilities.
As Fall surrounds us, let’s consider how we can connect with one another in our brokenness. Let’s reach out to others who have fallen, offering a gracious hand because we know the spirited grit it takes to get up again.
Let’s embrace the splendor of the foliage around us, resting in the assurance of God’s design for us in our highs and lows.
- - - Abide in Him. - - -
He never leaves us.
...and if you're smitten with the glories of Fall and want to do a BQJ page featuring a tree, there's a new one designed by my friend, Annette, in the shop.
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