Q: What does it look like to lead out of brokenness?
The reality is, there are a limited number of things in this life that absolutely everyone on this planet knows and understands—pain is one of them. We all experience pain at some time or another, and while this pain may look different on the outside from person to person, it’s always incredibly real to all of us on the inside.
One of the greatest truths I have learned thus far is that the things that break us do not define us. Our value, our true worth, comes from the One who knows us best and continually wants better for us. This world was created for us to thrive and love each other in; it wasn’t meant to bring us pain. So those thoughts that creep into our minds and fill our hearts late at night of despair or shame or loneliness are not from our God of truth. Taking refuge in His protection and intentions for us to experience hope and confidence and community is like diving into an endless sea of peace and grace, one that will wash away your past and never let you drown in your fears.
A few years ago, I realized that I was not invincible to the effects of a broken home and an addict father. I had to consciously make decisions every morning to continue down the same path I always knew, or find a better way for myself. In deciding to learn more about addictions and how they affected my family and me, I found myself involved with the amazing community of people at To Write Love on Her Arms. Every day I was engaged in other people’s stories, stories of pain similar to my own and of pain I had never previously imagined. And yet there was a beautiful redemption in every single conversation that centered on the need for hope and other people.
We need other people in this life, to carry us when we cannot carry on alone, and to share in our greatest joys and accomplishments. I fully believe that in others, we get to see small glimpses of the God who made us all, and in that we find hope. Hope that we are never truly alone, hope that help exists, and hope that even though the world may have dealt us a bad deck we can still win a round. The more we share our individual brokenness with others, the more others will find the strength to do the same. And what a comfort it is to know that we are all in this together.
“Even the saddest things can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength for the journey that still lies ahead.”
-Frederick Buechner
[Note: It is not without getting to and remaining in a healthy place yourself that you are able to devote yourself to helping others. Find the things that make you happy and whole and hold onto them, and don’t be afraid to seek out wisdom from others. If you are searching for help and having trouble finding it, contact the lovely people at TWLOHA (www.twloha.com) or the American Psychological Association (locator.apa.org). Be brave in sharing your story for you never know who will need to hear it]
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