Daily Devo

Brokenness

By: Mae Archila

Thursday, February 20, 2025

...God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 1 Peter 5:10 (NLT)

One time, I accidentally dropped a teacup that was precious to me. It was a special cup because a dear friend had given it to me, a friend I treasured, a friend who loved me. As I stared at the shattered pieces of my cup, it reminded me of the times in life when I was broken... the times my life was shattered into pieces... the times I thought I was damaged beyond repair.

To me, that cup was valuable, so I gathered the broken pieces and sorted them. Then, I started carefully gluing them back together. It took a while, but it eventually started looking like a teacup again! It still had evidence of being broken, but the damage became secondary. It was restored to usable condition which gave it a new, interesting history. Back when I studied art, I remember learning about a famous Japanese pottery technique called “Kintsugi.” In Japan, when a bowl or vase is cracked, it is repaired by filling in the cracks with gold. They believe damaged pieces have more history, so they might even become more valuable than an unbroken piece.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

During a special service at church, we had children singing onstage. As they sang, their voices reminded me of the brokenness in my past. But I also remembered how the Lord picked me up and set my feet on solid ground. We can all get cracks in our armor, and sometimes we struggle with brokenness. Have you ever had a broken heart? Did you think it was beyond repair? Christ Follower, God's love will repair us, restore us, and make us whole. Just like my cup, the cracks from our brokenness tell an important part of our story. Like that Japanese art form called "Kintsugi", God wants to transform the broken pieces of our lives into something beautiful.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Christ follower, you aren't broken, you are God's valuable masterpiece! He created you to shine for His glory!