Hope In Our Brokenness

Hope In Our Brokenness

Our brokenness causes us to hide ourselves from others. I have counseled several people over the years who were caught up in addiction and without exageration, every one of them has confessed to me that the biggest part of their struggle and what keeps them trapped in their addiction, is their shame and guilt. The lies they have told, the people they have hurt, the damage they have done, the sins they have committed. They reach a point when they have done so much bad that they truly feel they are incapable of ever turning it around. They have burned so many bridges and destroyed so many relationships that they feel there is no hope. And, I absolutely love it when they come to this point because it means that I can share with them the truth about hope and where to find it. And, in that experience, that moment when the light bulb goes off and their eyes light up and they realize for the first time, that what they have done does not define who they will be... in that moment, I find my joy as a pastor. Our brokenness does not define us. Our mistakes are not the sum total of our life. Our failures are not our legacy. Unless we allow them to be. Surrendering to Jesus, our whole self, warts, scars, and all – is where we find hope. Not in self help books, not in day time talk shows, not in magazines, not in other people – ONLY and ALWAYS in Jesus!