Today's Girlfriends in God devotional is most definitely worth the time to read. I loved the story of how child like faith and broken seeds can still grow something beautiful. Here's a little snippet. Click here to read the entire article.
"You may be hopeless, clinging to the broken and mismatched remnants of your life, wondering how you can go on. Whispers of the enemy creep into your heart, soul and mind, taunting you with the lie that you are just too dirty and broken for God to love or use. Nothing you do can change that reality so you might as well give up, throwing your life away.
Nothing could be further from the truth, my friend. Never underestimate the power of one, tiny broken seed. Placed in the right hands, it will surely grow into an expression of His beauty for all to see."
Have any of you felt broken? I felt broken when my high school sweet-heart turned out not to be so sweet. I was broken when I attempted suicide. I was again broken when I changed high schools my junior year to "start over." I was broken when I was in an automobile accident that almost took my life. I was broken when I went to college and sought satisfaction in worldly things. I was broken when I miscarried my first child...and re-broken when I miscarried my second. I was broken as I walked through infertility for five years. I was broken when I was passed up on another job promotion. Again, I was broken when my grandpa died before we could have "the talk" that I had forgiven him for his shortfalls as a grandparent. I was broken when my job was outsourced. And, most recently I was broken when I witnessed my best friends newborn baby take his last breath at 28 days old.
More importantly than being broken, I was healed...
More importantly than being broken, I was healed...
I was healed from my broken heart when I read "We know what real love is because Christ gave up His life for us" (1 John 3:16 nlt) and I was able to experience what true love felt like through Christ and the man I would later call my husband.
I was healed from my suicide attempt when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and He promised me "that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life." (John 3:15 nlt)
I was given a fresh beginning when I read, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 kjv)
I was healed from the physical ailments from my car wreck, miscarriages, and infertility by praying, "O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me." (Psalm 30:2)
I was healed from my worldly habits by reading "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.." (2 Corinthians 6:17 kjv).
I was also healed from my miscarriages, the death of my grandpa, and the death of my best friends son's passing when I read "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 kjv).
I was healed from my job situations when I read "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." (Colossians 3:23 nlt).
I was healed from the bitterness I carried toward my grandpa and his lack of involvement in my life when I read "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31-32 nlt)
I was healed from my suicide attempt when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and He promised me "that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life." (John 3:15 nlt)
I was given a fresh beginning when I read, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 kjv)
I was healed from the physical ailments from my car wreck, miscarriages, and infertility by praying, "O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me." (Psalm 30:2)
I was healed from my worldly habits by reading "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.." (2 Corinthians 6:17 kjv).
I was also healed from my miscarriages, the death of my grandpa, and the death of my best friends son's passing when I read "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 kjv).
I was healed from my job situations when I read "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." (Colossians 3:23 nlt).
I was healed from the bitterness I carried toward my grandpa and his lack of involvement in my life when I read "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31-32 nlt)
So, what I am trying to say? What good has came from my brokenness?
God's word is healing. And He masters in taking mess ups and turning them into messages. He will take your trial and turn it into triumph. He will turn your test into a testimony...Where there are broken seeds, He will water you with his love; He will give you sunshine of hope where there's none; and He will grow something beautiful out of your heartache and broken seeds.
What broken seeds do you have? How did God use it to grow something beautiful?
