Trying To Put The Pieces Back Together

The most random things often make me thing about spiritual things, and this has been on my mind for a while. About two weeks ago I was trying to fix a broken picture frame with scotch tape. The frame already had tape on the back from when I tried to fix it before, but I kept sticking more tape on the back in an attempt to make it stay together. And to my frustration, the frame kept falling apart!

I thought about how this is exactly what we sometimes do in life. Just like with the tape not holding my picture frame together, sometimes in life when something is not working we do whatever we can to fix it. So we keep sticking more and more ‘tape’ onto it, thinking that maybe if we just try hard enough that it will finally stick. It usually never does, not for long anyway. Just, ‘trying harder’ is not going to work, because there are some things that no matter how hard we try, we aren’t going to be able to fix. But there is NOTHING that God cannot fix, nothing that God cannot make new. So why get frustrated and stressed trying to fix all of our problems, when God knows exactly what he is doing with them? Its been such a relief in my life to take problems, hand them to God and say, “I have no idea what to do with this anymore, so here, please take it for me.” He might not immediately fix the problem, but he gives me peace to be able to let it go.

So back to the story, what I realized is that you cant keep sticking layer after layer of tape onto a broken object in an attempt to fix it. Because it wont work! Whatever your trying to fix might on the outside appear all better for a short period of time but eventually it will fall apart again. The real work is on the inside. The real work takes time. The real work is painful. The real work IS WORTH IT. So how do you fix what’s broken? How do you fix a situation that is falling apart? A person that is broken? You take it to the maker. You take a bum clock to a clock maker. A beat up car to the mechanic. The only way for the broken person to become whole again is for them to take themselves to their maker. Jesus. The ultimate healer. One true physician. Redeemer. Loving father. In Jesus’ arms is the only place in the entire world where you will find perfect love. Complete healing. Who better to patch us up than the one who first lovingly put us together hair by hair?

We don’t have to wonder what God could do for us, because in His word he lays it out word by word.

Isaiah 61v3-4 And provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

WOW. The compare and contrast of this verse is amazing. God says, “This is where you were, and this is the place I want to bring you to.”

God longs to be a place of refuge for His children. God longs to take us by the hand and lead us out of the darkness. But one of the things that I really love about our savior is that he wont do it without our permission. God waits for us patiently, eagerly. It is so easy to go our own way and stubbornly refuse Gods help,. I know that when everything seems to be going fine for a while, I start slowly drifting from God and thinking that I can handle everything all by myself. But then the storms of life hit me and I remember, “Oh right. I cant do any of this on my own.” Over and over again I have to ask for forgiveness for thinking I could taken even a single step without the guidance of my savior. After all, its only when in the pit we finally look up and hear our heavenly father whisper, “see how much you need me?” This is when we have to humbly turn back to God, ask for forgiveness, and receive his endless supply of grace.

Sometimes I just want life to be easier and have all of the struggles disappear. But without them would we still feel the need to grasp Gods hand so tightly, cling onto him for rescue? If struggles draw me closer to God then I welcome them as gifts from my heavenly father who knows me inside and out and who has wonderful plans for me. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.

Now that last sentence is not always true. I don’t think anyone sits and thinks, “Oh I just cant wait for something bad to happen.” But I’m praying and asking God that when trials do come that he will open my eyes. So that instead of being in despair, I will notice God’s hand working everything together for good.