Breaking: to shatter, burst or become broken; separate into parts or fragments, especially sudden and violently.
Breaking. That’s what a friend told me. She feels like she is breaking.
Perhaps, we’ve all felt that way from time to time. I certainly have. Maybe you haven’t realized that you’re breaking yet. You haven’t thought about how the stress, anxiety, depression, sleepless nights, anger and worry are creating fractures. Even worse, maybe you have realized and you’re trying desperately to hold on to your control but it’s still slipping from your grasp.
Life is leaving you irrevocably, irreparably broken.
How do you survive being shattered?
Kintsukuroi or Kintsugi is an old Japanese art. It is the practice of repairing broken pottery with a lacquer that is blended with powdered gold, silver or platinum. The broken object isn’t returned to its original state, rather it is made more beautiful in the parts where it was once considered damaged.
It is beautifully broken, made whole again by a potter’s loving care.
So maybe you are breaking.
Maybe life has shattered some things in you that you can never make whole again. Perhaps you feel like your peace and sanity are slowly seeping out through the cracks.
What’s the solution?
Trust the potter. I can think of no more masterful potter than our God. Remember that His strength is made perfect in your weakness. His strength is flowing through you just like the precious metal in that Japanese pottery and you are more beautiful because of his loving craftsmanship. Visualize His peace, grace, strength and love binding you back together.
Your scars tell your story. And that story is one of faith and perseverance.
Your value isn’t diminishing because you’re breaking. Those fractures are a testament not only to you breaking but also to your restoration. Your continued existence is proof the God is still able.
So yes, you may be broken, but I assure you, you’re beautifully broken.
