Founders Note: Today on the blog we have a guest post from Victoria, she is sharing her heart on this month's theme Beauty in the Brokenness. You can learn more about Victoria in her bio at the end of the post.
When I first saw this month’s theme here at The Quiet Place, my mind immediately started thinking about phrases like “beauty from ashes” and the songs that Superchick and Gungor made so popular.
Then last week happened. To put a long story short, I ended up having three very unexpected days with one of my friends. We took her daughter to the doctor together on one day and then a few days later that same friend came down to spend some time with us while she sorted things
out.
One evening, we sat in my backyard while her kids played. With tears in her eyes, my friend who I’ve never seen cry, told me about several stories she had heard from missionaries about the miracles that they have seen God work. I knew those tears came as a result of her own hope that she would see God do some miracles in the hearts of the people closest to her.
A few days after she went home, my friend posted this thought on Facebook: “If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’” It comes from Isaiah 7:9. It was true for Judah in war and it is true for us as we live out our days waiting for the return of Christ! The beauty in the brokenness comes from a faith that is being proved genuine.
No one’s life is perfect. We all know that. Sometimes when we look at our friends lives, we tend to think, “Oh, they’re fine.” The reality might be that they’re not. While we stand by, they might be so close to the point of breaking that they’re not sure if they’ll ever see the end of their troubles.
Last week reminded me about what it’s like when you’re IN the brokenness.
I’ve spent my life learning about the beauty that comes FROM brokenness and thanking God that He is faithful. On this side of the brokenness, sometimes I forget about what it was like to be in the middle of it. Maybe some of your are in the middle of the brokenness right now.
I could tell you that it will get better. I could tell you to just hang in there. I could tell you that it will be worth it all.
Or, I could stoop with you right where you are. The brokenness IS devastating. There ARE moments when it seems like you cannot go on in these circumstances.
As we feel the pain of your suffering together, I have these words for you:
Christian, life on this earth is basically one big broken mess. Sin is ugly and its consequences are terrible. You know your hope is in God and made possible by the blood of Christ. Right now,hanging in there might not seem possible. Remember these words:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8: 28 - 29
Know that a Christian clinging to God and seeking with all that they are to be obedient to Him even when they don’t “feel” like it is probably the most beautiful thing we can witness. All things means
ALL things. Together, we ARE being conformed to the image of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Some of you are reading this having just finished breaking down AGAIN. You are wondering when the suffering will be over, when you will be on the other side of this hard time. Right now you KNOW that life is war and you are begging God to keep you from defeat.
Keep doing that. And know, that it is beautiful because it holds Him up in all of His glory!
Last week, as I stood by my friend in the midst of her suffering and watched her children carry on with life as usual, I was reminded that even IN the brokenness there IS beauty.
Victoria blogs over at Through * For * By where she aims to write in such away that gives her readers something to brighten their day,encourage their soul, and give them a reason to praise God. Feel free to e-mail her at: victoria.mjfh@gmail.com she would love to hear from you!
Thank you so much for such an encouraging post. It's incredibly hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel during hardships but you really do have to know that God will bring you out of them and into something better. I've always had a tough time with that but as I get older, I find myself recognizing it a lot more.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post Victoria! It's really easy to just tell a friend "I know it's hard" but it's so much greater of a testament to really live through it with them.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Madison! God does so much for us as we suffer. Even though the struggles I wrote about this month aren't my "own", they've been such a refreshing reminder that the hard times aren't useless.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad this was encouraging to you, Alyssa! I'm equally glad to know that God has been proving Himself faithful to you as you face rough times. :)
ReplyDeleteWe have a treasure in Him that is beyond comparison!!!