cry of the broken

You hear the cry of the broken,
You hear the cry of the broken,
You hear the cry of the broken…

You answer the cry of the broken,
You answer the cry of the broken,
You answer the cry of the broken…

–Darlene Zschech,
Your Name/Cry of the Broken

Feeling broken?
These past few days I have.
But not broken as in I feel like I am shattered beyond repair kind of broken.

Broken by Him, for Him.

I know God is close to the broken, for I was one puzzle pile of mess when He picked me up out of the pit I had dug myself into, cleaned me up & called me Beloved.

God is close to all those of us who desperately need Him to put us back together.

Jesus became God with us to show us all how broken we are without Him.

But there is another kind of broken I am referring to.

Being broken for His purposes.

I recently heard about a course being offered at my former university. Like many of you, I did not complete my degree. I began my family, hubby lost his job & we had to relocate all within a brief period of time.

Now I love learning, so it made sense to try and go back when I was able about 6 years ago. I took two courses and loved it.

Then hubby hurt his back, had the first of two surgeries, i switched jobs, and child number one started university.

Child number two has recently decided to work next year and take some time to figure out which of two paths to take ahead.

Back to the course I found…It is a dream course for me, and hubby gave me his blessing to audit it, and I got the days booked off to take it.

So off to the university I went yesterday to apply. I met with the admissions counselor, and because this course falls within course requirements for a different program than I was in when I was there before, I grew excited about the possibility of finishing my degree as we chatted.

Then I saw the program outline, and my heart sank. I would need to add another year to do so, and the cost when I already have one at university? A mild panic and huge disappointment simultaneously rose within me.

And then God whispered to me:
You don’t need to finish this degree. I have qualified you to do what I have called you to accomplish, and I am using you. You don’t have to look back with regret anymore. I am enough.

My heart broke at the kindness and love in those words….

And I realized that I had been disqualifying myself because I didn’t feel I had the right background or qualifications to do what I am already doing.

When He revealed that reality to me, my soul in its brokenness was set free from the lie I have been believing.

God broke it off in one sentence.

I feel broken but in a good way.
Moldable, use able, despite my flaws.

God is shining through the cracks of this vessel as I continue to become more aware of how He can use me when I am broken of myself and seeking to be used however He chooses.

Broken in God’s hands can become something beautiful.