God uses all of it ...!

          ​I was drawn to a sermon by Pastor Mike Todd on fractures. There was a full-length mirror on the stage and he had a hammer in his hand which he used to hit different parts of this mirror. Of course, with each hit, the mirror became damaged at the point where it was hit. Interestingly, he could still see his image in the mirror.
         He used the story of Joseph in the Bible to illustrate his point. I, however, thought of others whose lives had been fractured in some form or another. One example is Naomi. She and her family faced famine in their home town of Bethlehem, Judah. They decided to move to the pagan country of Moab seeking a better life. While there her husband died. She was left with her two sons who both married Moabite women. Finally her two sons also died and she was left alone with her two Moabite daughters-in-law. Imagine her feeling of despair and hopelessness there in a foreign land. She had no family or friends but her two daughters-in-law. She finally decided to return home to Bethlehem because she heard that the famine had lifted and there was food once again. She did not go alone, one of her daughters-in-law, Ruth returned with her (Ruth 1:1-18).
         We can’t always stop tragic circumstances from coming our way. Naomi and her family could not control the famine that came to their home town. Their solution therefore was to leave to pursue greener pastures. Naomi could not stop the death of her husband and two sons in Moab just when things seemed to be improving. It seemed that life was throwing hit after hit her way. She could not control or stop it. She felt so defeated that on her return home she wanted to be called “Mara” because she felt that the Lord had dealt bitterly with her (Ruth 1:19-21). 
         I think many of us can relate. We can’t stop painful circumstances from coming our way. As we face, it would seem, hit after hit, we feel out of control and discouraged. Like Naomi, we wonder where or who to turn to next. Fear, bitterness, anger at God or even life can easily step in, not to mention confusion as we struggle to figure out where we went wrong and why all of this is happening. Naomi’s conclusion was that God had brought this her way. She couldn’t figure it out otherwise. They had been doing the best they could but bad instead of good seemed to follow them. 
         Yet, God had not given up on her. As fractured as her life seemed, and as useless as she felt, it was not over for her. God still had a perfect plan for her life although she could not see it. God would use that same broken situation along with her daughter-in-law, Ruth, to catch the attention of her husband's relative, Boaz. His marriage to Ruth elevated Naomi out of her defeated state and positioned her to be a part of king David’s bloodline as well as the bloodline of the Messiah, Jesus (Ruth 4:13-22). 
          As children of God, the same is true for us. No matter how broken and useless we may feel, as life seems to hit and break us over and over, God still has a plan. God is not moved by our fractures. He is moved by His purpose which will still come to pass if we just put our trust in Him, if we choose to focus not on the reality of our situation, but on the God who is able to still use what is broken. 
         I think we just have to turn it all over to Him – the broken pieces as well as what’s left. Remember, although Pastor Mike hit and damaged different parts of the mirror, he was still able to see his image in what was left. Let’s face it, we can become so focused on the broken pieces or crushed particles, that we don’t even realize that what’s left can still be used. The nice thing with God is that He uses both what’s broken and what is still intact – God uses everything and uses all of it to produce something good and useful. Only God...!
         In my own life, I can testify of the times when I faced situations that were designed to break me. I was discouraged, I was fearful, I felt like giving up. Instead, thankfully, God directed my focus to Him. I can honestly say, that God used each hit to redirect my focus to Him and as I did this, God matured me and brought me even closer to Him. He has used and continues to use both the broken pieces and what’s left to bring honour and glory to Him. I am in a position to better understand, relate and minister to those who also face fractures in their life. My brokenness has not been wasted!
         I just need to remind someone here that it’s not over! Fractures can cause us to believe that that hope or dream may never come to pass, that we are so useless and washed up not even God can do something good with us. Don’t believe that lie! When you turn it all over to God, He can and will still use you, He can and will still make your life one of purpose and excellence. It is God who is working His will and purpose for your life, not you. You can’t but He can!
         If you have not surrendered your life to Christ I encourage you to do so now. Give God your fractured pieces, give God all of yourself and watch Him transform your life into one of worth, usefulness and excellence. Remember, God can and He will do it!!!

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