BROKEN IS BEAUTIFUL from PEOPLE OF THE SECOND CHANCE on Vimeo.

If you get a chance to check out the above video, I highly recommend it. It’s a brand new POTSC video that was introduced today. Each one of the 3 minutes I spent watching the short film impacted me tremendously. Lately especially, I feel that God has been showing me more of what it looks like to be broken, and how His glory is shown in my weaknesses. Some of my thoughts:

“You don’t go in and show somebody an x-ray and say ‘Look at how healthy I am!’.  You want to see the tragedy in it… The perfect ones are the ones that get thrown away.”

 How true is this. So often we are scared and ashamed of appearing broken as we want to have the appearance of perfection. We reply, “I’m good!” and “Everything’s fine!” when, in fact, we have shadows in our closet that don’t want to be shined upon.

“You can’t really experience happiness until you’ve experienced pain…” 

I believe that God works in beautifully in broken situations. I’ve seen it. Problems are conquered, areas of bondage are demonlished, and relationships are restored. It is the perfect time for us to acknowledge to God that we can’t do it. We can’t control life by ourselves. We need Him. 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Iasaiah 43:2 (NIV)

Thoughts? Can brokenness be a beautiful thing?

So off I went – got my new gym shorts, new kicks, and probably even got an NBA-branded headband. Just kidding. I was corny, but I wasn’t mesh-tee corny. After a weeklong tryout process every day after school, turns out I didn’t make it on the team. I was crushed… inside at least.

It got me to thinking – looking back, what are some lessons I can take away from that experience? I am all about team sports, promoting camaraderie and competition, and hard-work. But, in my situation, I could care less about those things. I was a short, scrawny 15-year old kid who wanted to be a part of the team and play basketball.

1. Take a chance, you never know – now, almost 15 years later, I could still be playing the “what if” game if I hadn’t put myself out there. Be creative. Put yourself out there and give it a shot.
2. It’s okay to be broken – a lie that I believed for so long was to not show any weakness. Even though I was bummed to not make the team, I didn’t let any body else know what I was feeling on the inside. It’s easier to hide. Its harder to be real and authentic.
3. Make a plan – the fact of the matter was that I didn’t make the team, but I could make a plan. With the help of my parents and friends, I could keep at it and try out next year, or I could try something new.
4. Talk about it – something I struggle with is to keep things inside and not fully process my thoughts and feelings, so now I’ve learned that talking through things will never hurt. It builds relationships, creates authenticity, and shows others you’re real and human just like everybody else.
5. Gut check, where is your focus? – to be honest, that was my world when I was 15 years old. It can’t be a coincidence that the summer after my freshman year in high school is when I experienced God’s love and grace during a mission trip to West Virginia. God wasn’t a priority then, but looking back I’m thankful that He realigned my priorities after that experience.

I believe that God uses these “broken stages” in our lives to draw us closer to Him. Strength comes from struggle. If I never have any problems or times in our lives when I need help, who’s to say that I’ll want God’s presence in my life? So, I’ve come to learn to be thankful for those times as I’m drawn closer to Him.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

Thoughts? How has God used brokenness in your life to bring you closer to Him?