Feeling Too Broken To Be Of Any Use?

Do you feel cracked, broken, and worn out as if you hold the value of a penny—easily left in the change cup, passed by on the street, never sought out?  If so, then I hope you find encouragement here. God loves you too much to lay you aside.

This coming Sunday, the 21st of July, will mark four years without our son. When he tragically died, I felt my life was over. The healing process has been lengthy, and I am still under restoration. Many times, especially in the first two years, I felt useless. A part of me wanted to get on with it and fight for a life my son would want me to have. At the same time, there was a part of me that wanted to lie down and die. I often listened to the enemy’s lie that I would never be whole or useful again.

But cracked and broken doesn’t mean of no use. God does not throw us in the bin when we’ve been chipped, worn away, or knocked down by life. We may feel that we are beyond repair, but our Creator is the Potter, and we are the clay. He created each of us, numbered our days, and planned good things for us. Eph 2:10 tells us that we were made in Christ Jesus as a masterpiece for good works to do. We were made for a purpose: beautiful service, days of honor, and days of celebration. But He also knew that we would have days of trouble as John 16:33 tells us. We get chipped, knocked around, and treated carelessly because this world can dish it out. And if we are honest, we can dish it out, too. For some of us, we have sustained more than just a chip. Life hit us so hard that we shattered; everything we knew and understood blew into a million pieces. As the dust cleared and we tried to gather ourselves, we wondered what good could come from this. How is it possible to be of service now? Maybe I’m too broken to do any good.

Remember this: The One who created you isn’t finished with you. Let Him guide you and put you back together. Be patient and wait for the gentle hands that formed you from nothing but dust. He could have started over with you, but instead, he is gathering the pieces of your life experiences that have been blown far and wide. Nothing is wasted, and everything can be valuable in the hands of our Father. Wait for those same hands to touch, heal, and glue you back together. Hold on and be patient. “How?” you may wonder, “Is this design going to hold water?” Can a broken pitcher hold water when the cracks are so big that light can be seen through them?

Sometimes, we are changed forever by tragic turns, but we can still be of beautiful use. Instead of pouring water or some other service, we anticipated, we now share Christ’s love through our broken cracks. These cracks may always be with us, for some things never fully heal. But we are unique in that we have survived and have stories to tell that no one can argue. Life can break us, but God will use us. He, alone, created us and knows how to fix and repurpose us for beautiful days ahead.

What in your life feels beyond repair? Will you go to your Creator and lay the pieces on His workbench? Don’t worry if some are missing. He can use anything or nothing to restore and make all things beautiful. He has no limit; there is no scarcity with God. 

Be still and wait. Let go of your own design and timeline. He is doing his work. Trust him and quit your squirming. 🙂 Doesn’t it make sense that first aid is most effective when the subject is holding still and trusting? This can be difficult, I know. God encourages us in His word because He knows, too. He tells us to be still, wait upon the Lord, be anxious for nothing, and lean not on our own understanding.

Dear Father, we come to you broken and waiting. You are the one with all authority, all wisdom, and all power to pull us back together and strengthen us for service. We give you honor and praise as we lay our broken pieces, even our dust, before you. We thank you for what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will be doing as we wait for you. And God, when the enemy whispers in our ear, “What is taking so long? You must be too broken, you’re useless beyond repair” give us keen ears to know that those words do not come from you. You are for us and not against us. You have good things in store for us and will never leave or forsake us. May we have patience when we cannot see how you are working. Please help us to wait with great expectation for the work you are doing in our lives. In Jesus name, Amen