January 2021 - The Light That Shines Through Brokenness

There have been many times when God has been near to my broken heart. When I came to know Jesus, my heart was broken in my sin. Recently, there has been a brokenness within relationships in my family. 

Yet I’m so grateful that God is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit. It is God’s love and grace that has pulled me through each time. How about you? What does your brokenness look like before God? 

Today, I understand that the brokenness in my life brings opportunities to know more about Jesus. How can brokenness help us to know more about Jesus? We find out how in 2 Corinthians 4:5-10. Paul reminds us that our lives are like jars of clay. He continues, telling us that we always carry the death of Jesus within our bodies “so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” 

So, what is the light that shines through our brokenness if our lives are these jars of clay? Well, it’s the light of Jesus (2 Cor. 4:5-6). Yet the light of Jesus can shine through our lives only when the broken pieces of our life allow that light to shine through. However, only God knows which pieces need to be broken in each of our lives so the light of Christ may shine through.  

What are those pieces that have been broken for you? Maybe it’s your health, a relationship, finances, job security, the loss of a loved one or a broken dream. It’s during our times of brokenness that God shines his light of hope to a broken world. It may not make sense today, but the apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 of the purpose of our brokenness. 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  

This year as TWR Women of Hope focuses on the word restore, may we each walk in step with God’s plan for our lives and live lives of hope as we allow his light to shine through our brokenness.