Broken…or Just Cracked?

by Sylvia Gaston

Are there any areas in your life that feel broken or maybe just a little cracked?

Maybe it’s a relationship that has fallen apart?  Or that ‘thing’ that has you under its control – gossip, addiction, criticism, control, apathy, laziness? Or depression? Or anxiety? The list is endless. There are so many ways that we can become broken.

Today, as some of our staff prayed for our community, my heart was squeezed tight as I thought about all the areas of brokenness that many of us face. It’s sad. It’s heart wrenching. It can destroy lives. But, it doesn’t have to define who you are and it doesn’t have to be that way forever.

We have a saying at our church. We adopted it from some author that wrote some book that many of us read some time ago and it goes like this. “It’s OK to get stuck; it’s not OK to stay that way.”

So how do I get unstuck? Where do I go to fix my brokenness, you might ask.

There is only one person who can move heaven and earth, for whom nothing is impossible. Only one person knows all and loves you more than you can imagine. That person is God.

I honestly do not know how people stay married without Jesus. (Well, more than half don’t, actually). I don’t know how people raise children without Jesus. I don’t know how people deal with siblings, finances, co-workers (not mine), death, the DMV(!) without Jesus.

Unfortunately, I have attended the funerals of both Christians and non-Christians. There is a noticeable difference between the two. When you know that the physical death of a loved one is not truly The End, there is a peace and assurance that you will one day be with them again. There is hope that often is missing from the memorial of one who did not live a life belonging to Him.

If only I had the space here to relay the countless times God has shown up and helped me when I needed it most. Prayers answered, resources provided, wisdom given, healing received and on and on. More than coincidences – supernatural interventions and divine encounters that do not occur by chance. My life is richer, I am more content, and I see Him at work in me every single day.

Don’t get me wrong…just because you choose to follow Jesus, doesn’t guarantee a pain-free, easy life.  I have encountered the struggles of parenting, the challenges of marriage, and the excruciating loss of loved ones. But, as promised in Isaiah 43:13, He will be with us through it all. And we will grow.

If you desire wisdom, comfort, purpose, and help, God offers that. If you want peace that is beyond your understanding, He offers that.

Are you in a season of brokenness or just have some cracks that need to be fixed? This Easter season, as we celebrate Jesus, God on Earth who came for us, you might want to consider turning to Him. He waits for you to do so.

“For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” - Isaiah 41:13