Broken

A long time ago, I asked God to let me able to hear a word from anywhere and anyone. I went to see Maleficent this weekend with the kids and God did not disappoint. I will not spoil the movie, but I got a word. Curses don’t end, they have to be broken. Many of us are dealing with the consequences of generational curses. Some of us have made the decision to be generational curse breakers. This means that just because momma and daddy dealt with it, doesn’t mean my kids have to suffer that same fate. Being a curse breaker, means it ends with me. It means my kids won’t have that monkey on their back. It means enough is enough. It also means that we have to do the work to ensure the curse is broken. It means change. It means we can’t do things the way they've always been done. It means we have to travel a different path. It means the road may be rough, and it may be lonely. It means it will be worth it because those curses will be broken.

Damaged

I remember when I based what I ordered online on the cost of shipping. If shipping was more expensive than what I wanted, I simply would not order it or I would wait on a free shipping option. Amazon changed the way millions shopped online with their Prime membership. I’ve been conditioned to only shop for items that are available for Prime shipping. I need my package in 2 days or less. I can count the times that my package hasn’t arrived or was damaged on one hand. It just doesn’t happen that often.

Truth is things get damaged. Things break. Things fall apart and most times we aren’t conditioned on how to handle damage. We want our money back. We want a replacement in 2 days or less. We are not very accommodating to change or inconvenience. We have become a microwave generation. We want participation trophies and prescriptions. We refuse to acknowledge that in many cases, we are damaged. We fix the obvious damage, but negate to fill the emotional holes. Evaluate your life. There is beauty in your brokenness. The only way to truly fix the damage is to acknowledge it.

Broken being built

In my experience, God rarely uses things in a traditional sense. He uses pain to bless. He uses turmoil to elevate. He uses detours to direct. Why wouldn’t he use brokenness to build us? I’ve learned more about myself and God in isolation than any church pews. I’ve gained wisdom and insight through heartache that I never learned in any classroom. What lesson is God trying to teach you? Have you ever thought that maybe you’re broken being built?

Broken

Most of us may not realize that we are all broken. We all have scars. We have open wounds and sore spots. We have calluses. We have areas of our lives that did not heal properly. We have issues, but these are the things that make us beautiful. These are the things that shape and mold us. These are the things that strengthen us. We are all beautifully broken.

There is a method of mending in Japanese culture called “Kintsugi.” It is related to the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which calls for seeing beauty in the flawed or imperfect. The repair method was also born from the Japanese feeling of mottainai, which expresses regret when something is wasted. Our scars are not wasted. Our wounds are not in vain. Our brokenness has a purpose, and our purpose is beautiful.