Many mornings, I awake still weary, as though I’d hardly slept. I go through my day wincing at the pain in my back. My kids sniffle, cough, and sneeze. And my husband worries he may need surgery again.

Each day I battle the sins in my heart. I fight against the lies of the evil one. I also face the sins of others each day–my children’s, friends, family, and strangers. And I battle feelings of despair, fear, worry and sorrow.

I, for one, long for Christ’s return and for a perfect, healthy body. I long for a heart that is completely free of all sin. I long for my redemption to be full and complete.

Don’t you?

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Romans 8:22-23

We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, yet we still await our final redemption. There exists an already/not yet tension as we await the Lord’s final return. We are already perfect in the sight of God, yet we still battle sin. We are already raised with Christ (Col. 3:1), yet we still live in the this world that is not our own. We are already children of God, yet we still await our full inheritance. The final battle has already been won, yet evil is still active in this world.

The apostle Paul speaks of this tension when he describes his struggle with sin “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15) We have been redeemed from our sins. We are being redeemed from the sin that lingers in our flesh. And we will one day be completely redeemed when we receive our resurrection bodies.

Not only do we battle with sin, illness, and the weakness of our flesh, but the earth groans too. It also awaits its own redemption and restoration. Not only will we receive resurrected bodies on that final day, but the earth will also receive its own redemption.

“In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all.” Isaiah 11:6

Until that final day, we cling to His promises and rest in His grace. He is faithful to finish the work He began in us. While our bodies may groan and we get weary, may we never forget that He who bought us–will never let us go. May we keep our eyes fixed on Christ and to the future that awaits us as His children.

Do you also long for that day?

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Have you ever had a day where everything just went wrong? And you along with it?

Some mornings we all seem to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. My four-year-old tantrums about every little thing. My oldest tries to daydream the day away, instead of focusing on his school work. And me? Well, I react to all of it.

At the end of the day, I am appalled at my responses throughout the day and by my own tantrums. Guilt weighs down on me, a heavy load. Overwhelmed, I open the Word to give me hope. I pray and ask for grace. Then I hear the Spirit’s quiet whisper in my heart.

“Have you forgotten you were set free?”

Christ’s redemption has set me free from my prison of sin. I’m free from guilt, from judgement, and from despair. God now sees Jesus’ perfect life in the place of mine. When I am unloving to my family, He sees the love Christ gave for the world. When I respond in anger to my kids, He only sees Christ’s righteous anger. When I am overwhelmed and burdened by life, God sees Christ carrying my burdens on the cross.

These hard days will continue to come until the final day when we are completely free from the lingering effects of sin. Until then, I don’t have to live in despair. By remembering the gospel and the freedom that Christ’s redemption accomplished, I can live in confidence. I can approach each new day knowing that my Savior is there to strengthen me, no matter what lies ahead.

It’s because of Jesus that I can come freely to the throne of grace. I can lay my burdens at my Father’s feet and find forgiveness. When I take hold of this freedom, I am living like a true child of God and not an abandoned orphan. And this gives me a thankful heart, full of praises to the One who opened my prison doors.

Tomorrow is a new day, full of mercy and grace. We may wake up on the right side of the bed, or we might not. Either way, I know His grace is greater than all our sins and He is strong enough to carry me through each and every struggle and challenge.

Do you know this freedom?

“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” Romans 6:18

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O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. Psalm 130:7

We hope for many things. On game days, we hope it won’t rain. When we are making plans with friends, we hope they can join us. Even at Christmas time, we hope for certain gifts. Often, these hopes fail. We’re left soaked, friendless, and empty-handed.

But the Bible tells us about another hope–hope in the Lord. Hope is a key element of the believer’s faith, along with faith and love. We have hope in what we long for, what we wait for, and what we believe in. But the hope that the Bible speaks of, is one that does not fail.

The Israelites of the Old Testament put their hope in the one who redeemed them from slavery in Egypt and looked forward to their full redemption in the Messiah. Our hope is found in the Messiah, in Christ and His redemption. Just as the Israelites were redeemed from their slavery and bondage in Egypt, we have been redeemed from our slavery to sin and death. Just as the Israelites were saved by the lamb’s blood over their door frames, we have been saved the blood of the Lamb.

We who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb, have everything we’ve ever needed or hoped for. In fact, there is no hope without the redemption found in Christ. “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.”

To have salvation from our sins and a restored relationship with God is everything our hearts need or desire. We were made for fellowship with God and without it, we wander aimlessly, like the Israelites in the desert, searching for something to fill that void. Jesus alone fills that aching hole in our hearts. Through faith in blood shed on the cross for our sins, we become complete, whole, and full of hope.

Sometimes, as Christians, we can get distracted by the cares of this world. We might place our hope in things like the economy, jobs, status, material possessions, and accomplishments. When these things fail, we despair and feel lost and alone. We’ve forgotten where our true hope really lies.

By placing our hope and trust in Christ, we will not be disappointed. His redemption has accomplished for us what we could not do on our own–a restored relationship with the Father. We now have complete access to our Creator. We can come to Him with all our fears, doubts, and tears and know that He hears us. He is the only one who can fill those empty places that were made for Him alone. His love is deeper than our greatest sins and He is the only hope that doesn’t disappoint.

Do you have this hope? Have you been made alive in Christ?

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13, 14

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.” Hebrews 6:19, 20a

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Have you ever met someone who has struggled with the same battle as you? Have you ever helped someone through a difficult journey that you yourself once walked?

I have a friend in the faith who has experienced deep brokenness in her life. Her faith during these painful times has been a testimony to me. Seeing the way God has worked in the life of my friend gives me hope in what He can do in and through my own brokenness.

God not only uses our brokenness to draw us closer to Him, but also uses it to draw others to Himself.

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT)

We are weak vessels, like simple jars of clay. God has given us the gospel to shine through our brokenness to those around us. When other people see God’s light in and through our painful circumstances, they see His power at work in us.

God uses the weak to reveal His strength. He takes the most unlikely, the least prepared, and the humble to carry out the work of His Kingdom. He works through the broken, the sinful, the fragile, and the wounded to show His love and faithfulness to a broken world.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

Have you ever been a light to someone else?

Sharing our stories of brokenness and being willing to reveal our weaknesses to others is frightening. What if we are rejected? What if sharing brings only more hurt? Jesus knew rejection. All of His friends fled at his most desperate moment, leaving Him alone in His pain and suffering. No matter the rejection we may face, we are not alone. God is with us, strengthening and empowering us to live for Him.

The apostle Paul not only shared about his brokenness but boasted in it as well. He did so in order that Christ would be glorified through his weakness. He shared his experiences with suffering and brokenness so that others would be blessed by them. He knew that to be weak is to be strong through Christ. “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.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

Can your own brokenness be used to shine the light of Christ in the life of someone else?

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Believers will experience brokenness. It comes with the call of following Christ. Being broken is painful. It hurts. It’s wearisome. And with it often comes despair, fear, anger, and sorrow.

I don’t like pain. When I am hurting, I try to find a way to fix my problem right away. When I’m suffering in a season of brokenness, I often seek my own way out of the pain. I will turn to any number of sources in an effort to ease my discomfort. I’ve tried to cover my wounds and heal my brokenness with things like material items, distractions, food, media, hard work and to-do lists.

As we all know, these temporary comforts will not fill that gaping hole in our hearts.

The Apostle Paul knew about brokenness. He endured many hardships for Christ. He experienced trials such poverty, ship wrecks, beatings, imprisonment, and starvation. At one point he had what seems to be a health problem that wouldn’t go away.

“There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 1 Corinthians 12:7-10

Paul set an example for us in how to respond to times of hardship and brokenness. Instead of relying on ourself for comfort and healing, we need to turn to God in prayer. Paul prayed and asked for relief from his thorn in the flesh. And he prayed that prayer until he had an answer.

Paul also wrote in Romans that “all things work together for good for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose.” (8:28) He knew that sometimes God doesn’t change our circumstances right away. Sometimes seasons of brokenness last for a while. He prayed for God to bring healing, but ultimately rested in God’s sovereign control. He trusted that God’s plan was perfect and good for him.

Lastly, Paul lived in the strength of Christ rather than in his own strength. He didn’t trust in himself but in Christ alone. He endured each and every hardship, knowing that it was for the glory of Christ. He knew that what God called him to endure, God would also strengthen him through it. He humbly admitted his weakness and let Christ be his strength.

We too have access to that same power and strength that Paul knew so well. The Holy Spirit resides in each believer. This is the same Spirit who was there at creation, who raised Jesus from the dead, and who breathed out power at Pentecost.

In our own seasons of brokenness, we need to turn from all false, temporary solutions and to the strength of God. Seek him in the Word. Beseech him in prayer. Cling to his strength. Believe and rest in his power.

Brokenness, trials and hardships will pass in God’s timing. Spring and new life always follows winter. God will strengthen you to endure whatever difficulties you face. Trust in his promises and boast in the power of his strength working in you.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

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Spring is here. Flowers are blooming everywhere I look. The trees that last month were dead and bare, now sprout brightly verdant leaves. The air is warm and windows are open wide to let in the fresh spring air.

All this new life is a reflection of the resurrection we just celebrated. Spring reminds us that death comes before new life, brokenness before healing. Emptiness precedes fullness and winter always comes before spring.

I resist the broken times in my life. I turn away from the flames and hide from the storms. Yet Scripture teaches that brokenness is a good thing, even necessary.

In God’s economy, what’s truly valuable must be first broken. We have to be brought to the end of ourselves, emptied completely, before He can fill us. We have to lose before we can gain. That’s why James tells us to “consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

Have you resisted God’s work of brokenness?

Jesus experienced brokenness. He bled sorrow over the path He had to take to the cross. He walked into the brokenness, enduring it for you and for me. “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.” (Hebrews 12:2)

It’s because the story didn’t end at the cross that we can have hope. The fact that He rose from the dead means that our lives do not end in brokenness. He promises that He will make all things new. He will heal all our brokenness. He will use our pain to change us. And He will fill all the empty places with Himself.

Brokenness is just a door that leads to joy. Open the door, follow the narrow path, and carry your cross to where He waits for you.

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Something is always breaking at my house: dvd players, remote control cars, flashlights, washing machines, etc. My son, before the age of two, had quickly learned that batteries make things work. Whenever anything broke, whether it took batteries or not, he brought it to me and asked for batteries.

But what do we do when a person is broken?

In our society, brokenness is a cause for replacement. We throw out what’s broken and replace it with something new. We do that, not only with our possessions, but with people as well.

God is different. God does His best work with what we would consider a mess. In fact, He seems to prefer working with the messy and broken. Jesus ate many meals with the broken. He spoke with those whom everyone else had rejected. He loved the unloveable and touched the unclean.

God is different, He loves us in spite of our brokenness. He looks at us and sees what we can become. Unlike replacing a battery, He doesn’t just put us back together the way we were. Rather, He transforms us into something better. As an artist takes pieces of broken china and creates a beautiful mosaic, so God takes the broken pieces of our lives and transforms them into something magnificent.

Have you been broken in some way? Do you think you are too broken for God to fix? In Matthew 9, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touched the cloak of Jesus and was healed. Her disease had kept her from being a part of the community. She was not able to marry or go to the temple because she was unclean. This woman would have been someone we would consider broken, too broken for God to help. She had just enough faith to reach out and touch Jesus’ cloak. And she was healed. Not only was she healed, but her life was completely changed. For when Jesus stopped and spoke to her, he was announcing to the community that she had been healed. This compassionate statement meant that she was then able to rejoin the temple community and be accepted by society again.

“Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment.” Matthew 9:20-22

Our God is a compassionate God. If all we have is a little bit of faith, it is enough to move mountains. If you are broken today, know that He accepts you just as you are. Come to Him, saying “I believe, help my unbelief.” He will look past your weakness and brokenness and see what Jesus has already done for you at the cross. Come to Him and you will find healing for all your brokenness.

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I was sitting around the semicircle of chairs. It was Tuesday morning, the day when our ladies bible study meets at my church. We were going around the room, taking turns sharing prayer requests. I wrote down each person’s request: health concerns, legal issues, rest, healthy pregnancy, etc.

Then it was my turn. Feeling the Spirit’s prompting, I stepped out and requested prayer for my struggle with depression. I opened up about my battle and the challenges I’ve faced.

I wasn’t sure if I had made the right decision, going deeper as I did. Being the first to pave the way through rough terrain is hard, often painful work. I think of our lessons in homeschool recently about the pioneers who made their way west on the Oregon Trail. It was risky, dangerous and hard. But once the way is cleared, it’s easier for others to then follow the already marked trail.

After the study, one of the women approached me. “What usually helps you when you feel like this?” she asked. We started talking, I shared and she encouraged me. Since then, she has checked in on me often, offering her help and encouragement.

With today’s churches being so large, it’s oftentimes difficult to make deep connections. We have to go out of our way to sign up for a small group or bible study. If we are struggling, it’s even harder to step out and reach out to others in the body of Christ.

Yet, Scripture teaches that we need this connection. It’s not something that happens naturally or easily; it’s a big step to go beyond mere small talk to opening our hearts. However, those moments when we do can bring us deeper into community with others in the church. It is in the context of community where God uses us to encourage one another, help each other through trials, and to spur one another on in the faith.

Sometimes, reaching out for deeper connection backfires, and it has for me. But I know that I am completely loved and accepted by God and this gives me confidence to reach out, no matter the outcome. When the Spirit prompts me, I step out in faith, knowing He will use it for His glory. When I trust God to use my efforts to reach out, I don’t have to fear the response. More often than not, reaching out has been of great benefit and encouragement to my soul. I have also been able to encourage and help other’s who were hurting. Connecting with a sister in Christ at a deeper level is what Christian community is all about.

How have you made deeper connections with others in the body of Christ?

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Let’s be honest, love is hard.

It’s been a week. The flowers are wilting and the candy is nearly gone. The sweet messages in the Valentine cards are mostly forgotten.

All that’s not forged through hard love is short-lived.

For most of us, the fragrant aroma of love’s soft side is brief and doesn’t last. Life gets in the way. Trials and challenges arise. Instead of sweet messages, words of anger are spit forth. Hard love often leaves a bitter taste.

Why can’t love remain sweet all the time? Why does love have to be so hard?

Sin has changed what love is from the inside out. The post-fall love, that we know so well, is all about ourselves. It’s about getting what we want and having our own needs met. It’s seeking our own interests and looking down on others. The love of human nature is static and stale, ending in pain and sorrow.

Jesus came to rescue us from sin and to show us God’s always and forever love. He came to live out the love that the Father, Son and Spirit have known for all of eternity past. This love is described in the Bible as self-sacrifice, humility, and limitless generosity. It’s walking the path Jesus laid when he left his royal home to live in poverty. It’s following the One who had no real home; no place to lay his head. It’s loving the way Jesus did as he dined with sinners and loved the unloveable. It’s carrying our own crosses and forgiving those who hurt and reject us. It’s dying to self because Jesus died for us.

Sometimes though, it seems easier to give up on love than to give up everything for love.

When love seems too hard, remember this, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) It’s because you’ve been loved in this way that you are able to love even when it’s difficult. When the sting of love smarts as you turn the other cheek to a friend who gossiped behind your back, remember the One who turned his for you. When you’ve forgiven 490 times and don’t think you can once more, remember the number of times you’ve been forgiven. And when the flowers dry up and the love seems all but gone, know that Jesus’ love is greater than all your weaknesses.

It’s only hard love that walks through fire and comes through it radiant and beautiful. It was hard love that died for the lost and rose again, granting us the gift of a forever and perfect love.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

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The desk is the one I bought at an antique shop while traveling in Tennessee. My heart loves old things. I love to imagine who used it and the letters they may have penned to love ones while sitting at the desk. Not long after I purchased it, it fell over in the back of my van. It seemed to have broken at every joint–at every place where one piece of wood joined another. Looking like a jumble of puzzle pieces, I didn’t think it would ever be whole again. That Christmas, my husband and father-in-law spent the day gluing and securing the desk back together, one piece at a time.

I walk by these words each morning after I awaken. I look at the desk and it reminds me that all things broken can be made whole.

Each night before I rest my head on my pillow, I am already forgiven for all that’s happened during the day. When I awaken the next day, God has fresh mercy ready and waiting for me.

New mercies each day–a gift each morning; an opportunity to start again. Like fresh fallen manna to fill the stomach, His mercy drops fresh each day to feed my soul.

By the end of each day, I am weighed down by all that’s gone on. The times I raised my voice, the times I grumbled and complained about my life, and all the times I didn’t love bare down hard on my soul.

What if I lived life in the strength of mercy and grace rather than my own?

What if I rested in the promise that He makes all things new?

Each day is a new day and a new opportunity to live in the grace we’ve been given. When I awaken and recall that all I’ve done the day before is thrown as far as the east is from the west, I begin anew with a heart full of gratitude. As I go about my day, remembering how much I am loved by the Father, it strengthens me to live for Him. Each time I stumble and fall, I remember what Christ did for me and that I am completely forgiven. There’s nothing I can do to make Him stop loving me or stop Him extending rich mercy toward me.

God has mercy and grace in so much abundance to lavish on us that He gives it anew each and every day. His love and forgiveness for us is beyond measure. May this truth fill the hunger of our souls each morning as we awaken and strengthen us throughout whatever the day brings.

Do you take this gift of mercy extended to you each day?

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3: 22-24

“To grasp the old faithfulness of God anew every morning, to be able–in the middle of life–to begin a new life with God daily, that is the gift that God gives with every morning.” Deitrich Bonhoeffer

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