Where does brokenness drive you?

Monday August 19, 2013

I read a blog post today by Megan Hill entitled, “The Very Worst Trend Ever.”

I had such mixed emotions.

First of all, who didn’t read Jen Hatmaker’s post, “Worst End of School Year Mom Ever” and howl and cry and nod your head?

In true Erma Bombeck fashion, we commiserated that day over Jen’s words. And it was awesome.

And who doesn’t love Ann Voskamp’s dirty dishes in the sink as she loves on her bunch of kids? Most of wish we could push the dishes aside and have those priorities.

But something about Megan Hill’s subtitle caught me: “How our love of brokenness actually fails us.”

Those two writers aside (because I definitely don’t think the following describes them), I do feel that within the blogosphere there’s a bit too much wallowing. Kind of like, let’s all admit we’re worms and wiggle around in this mud together…and claim grace.

Megan points to Titus 2: 11-13: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age.”

Notice what that says—GRACE trains us to renounce…and live self-controlled and godly lives.

Grace doesn’t stop with “what a worm am I.” It has more work to do.

So, I’d like to propose a question amidst all this brokenness and laughter and commiserating that we call the mud of life:

Where does your brokenness drive you?

We might as well ‘fess up—yes, we’re all broken. But where does that drive you?

To talk to or read about another mom who messes up as badly as you do? And do you stop there?

Or does it drive you to perfect your life even more, taking the reins from the One who should have them?

On both ends of the spectrum—wherever you are—brokenness has validity only if it drives you to the One who can do something about it.

Maybe you see Him in the mom who just listens and gives you a bit of hope. The mom who writes your life, and you realize it’s okay to be broken.

But look around the corner.
Take the next turn.
Fall into the arms of the only One who can bring hope from our brokenness.


I'm linking up with Laura, Michelle, and Jen today.

The Broken Places

Standing in front of a classroom of high school sophomores, I'm reminded of my problem.

I’m too fixed, too put together, all too capable—I think.

We were winding up our discussion of Doestoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment and there I stood, indicted by the point I’d been hammering home.

Our main character’s problem? Pride. He thought he could reason his way to fulfillment, creating a theory that placed him above the law. His crime brought suffering, but it wasn’t until he let go of his own suffering and accepted Christ’s suffering that he found real peace.

He was too fixed, too capable—he thought.

Until he met a young lady who was broken and knew it. Unlike him, she placed her faith and hope in the One who redeems. Through the broken places of her life shone Christ’s love.

This morning I read this:

“Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those we know they are sinners” (Mark 2:17).

I was reminded of my problem. Sure, I’m broken; we all are. But I lose sight of that sometimes in the glow of praise and achievements and an inflated sense of self.

Then a flawed character comes along to remind me to let Him shine through the broken places of my life.

Joining Laura, Jen, and Michelle with words from the heart.

Straight to the Heart: Hear It on Sunday, Use It on Monday

Monday May 16, 2011

Her story was painful, even without all the details. You could hear the anguish that resulted from the disappointment, disapproval, and rejection she endured every day.

She tried, but she couldn’t let go of it.

“I believed more in the pain of my past than in His power to love me unconditionally,” she said.

How often do I do that – believe more in me, in what I want to hold onto, than in Him and His power?

But the good times and bad, the hard and the easy – none is wasted by a Father who loves us through it all.

All those cracks, all that brokenness?

They form the perfect path in.
And His love goes straight to the heart.


Linking up today with Michelle at Graceful for Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday.