#TruthTuesdays #TruthAnyhow
One day while perusing a local retail store, I came across a decorative wooden sign with the word, “Blessed” written in cursive. Without hesitation, I quickly put it in my cart, envisioning it as the perfect addition our mantlepiece. Once home, I added it to its desired location in the den, making it a focal point for those entering our home or descending the stairs from the second floor. It served as a visible reminder that we are blessed regardless of what was going on in the bustling world around us.
Several months had passed when I decided to change up the décor in our den. This included adding golden accent pieces to the mantlepiece. While doing so, I accidentally tapped the edge of the “Blessed” sign, causing it to somersault in the air and hit in the granite slab at the foot of the fireplace. I watched in disbelief as the letters separated into three pieces that sprawled across the floor. I had broken our cherished reminder.
As I began collecting the scattered pieces, I doubted the possibility of the sign ever returning to its original condition. However, at least wanting to consider the possibility of it being glued back together, I began to fit the letters back into their proper order. The rough wooden edges fit back into the grooves effortlessly, as though they had never been separated. I chuckled as I said out loud, “broken but still blessed.”
How often do we treat our lives like that wooden sign? We operate as though our mistakes have caused us to lose our value, and that we are broken beyond repair. We feel shattered by the circumstances that knock us down. Sometimes we feel so crushed, that we wonder if we can ever return back to the place we once were with God. Will things fit back in place?
The truth is regardless of the mess we have made of our lives, we are still God’s beautiful creation. And no matter the scars life leaves us with, God restores. In Jeremiah 30:17, the Lord declares, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds.” Despite how many times we fall or experiences leave us feeling broken, He reminds us, “I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future” (Jeremiah 29:11). We are broken, but still blessed.
