When you’re broken, there are moments, sometimes long ones, when you feel like you can not possibly go on. That moment looks different for each of us. Some moments are a fleeting thought we can capture and move forward, knowing it is a choice to stay there. There are other times, that the moment seems it will never pass, no matter what we try. Yet for all of us, if we chose to stand and face it, the moment will pass, eventually.
For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:18 NKJV
Think back, for a moment, to the hardest time in your life. That time where you felt broken, shattered, even destroyed. Several times probably come to mind. Like a movie that you would rather skip all the way through. You can watch to the end holding on to the one thing that makes it worth thinking about. The broken time is now passed. You made it through. You have been pieced back together, and if you look closely, there is gold in those broken cracks.
The gold may look like a lesson you learned, something the experience taught you. The gold may look like a stronger or closer relationship, with yourself, a spouse, someone you care about, or even God. The gold may be a more positive or grateful outlook on life. It may be something you can use to help others. Whatever it is, I can say there is probably some little treasure you can now pull from the broken time in your life, even if you couldn’t see it in the moment.
Maybe you feel you are in that broken moment right now. Your marriage is headed down the drain. Your finances are insufficient and your bills and expenses are multiplying. Maybe it is your health or a family member’s health that is failing or a diagnosis that seems overwhelming. Regardless of what things look like in the moment, no matter how dark, how broken, how unsurmountable it seems, I can say with certainty; “this too will pass.” You will come out on the other side of whatever it is you’re facing right now.
I wish I could give you a timeframe. I can’t, time is a finicky thing. I wish I could give you a guaranteed plan, steps to take to get you to the other side. I can’t, even if you walked in my footsteps; what worked for me, may not work for you. All of us have different journeys.
What I can tell you, is Begin Again. You can not wait for circumstances to dictate your actions. If you wait on your circumstances to change before you do anything different, you may be waiting a very long time. When you feel broken, begin again and start with your thoughts.
Start by beginning to change your thoughts. Your thoughts dictate your actions. So begin again to look for the positives. You may have to look far outside your circumstances to find them, but begin. You dont have to deny what your going through, just turn your focus more towards areas that are not broken.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 NKJV
As your thoughts change, you will find the energy to give you a hope for the future. You will shift your focus to start taking steps to change things that are within your control. Your actions dictate your circumstances.
Commit your works to the Lord , And your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:3 NKJV
The only thing that can change a broken pot, is to start picking up the pieces and putting it back together. Gluing the pieces takes work, but it is the only way it is going to change.
Begin again by surrounding yourself with people who will encourage your growth. If you don’t have those people in your life, find them. We are blessed to live in a time where we have access through podcasts, books, videos, etc. to people that can pour into our lives in areas where we might not have a personal mentor or coach. Instead of focusing your time on your brokenness, focus it on your healing.
Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established. Proverbs 15:22 NKJV
A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, Proverbs 1:5 NKJV
When you are at your lowest, decide to begin again. Begin focusing your thoughts on positive things. As your thoughts lift your mood, begin taking steps to bring healing by changing things within your control. As you begin again, surround yourself with people that can encourage and help in your healing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This blog post is inspired by Anita Ojeda and the #Write28Days Challenge. The challenge is to write 28 days in February. For more posts on this topic go to Broken Vessel.
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