Hey everyone! Today I am going to tell you why I am thankful for the broken things. Thank you for joining me on this Thankful Thursday.
I have a broken windshield. It started with a small crack in the glass. You can see it here:
That was in Alabama. It was like that when I purchased my vehicle. It was just the one little place, not the cracks to the left and to the right. In Alabama, it rarely got cold enough to require defrost to thaw out a window, so it never became an issue. It was just there as a constant reminder that the windshield was not perfect, but it did not obstruct my view and I did not see a reason to purchase a new windshield for one small flaw.
The Holy Spirit started ministering to me. This is how we are in our spiritual walk with God. We may see a sign of decay but we choose to ignore it. We say things like, "It's not hurting anyone else," or "It's just a small flaw, we all have issues." And when we are in certain seasons of life we can get by without checking our heart. It is dangerous to do this, but many of us, including Christians, will choose to go about their business without dealing with the issue that is in front of them. It is a constant reminder that there is something in your life you have not dealt with and we can choose to shift our eyes to the clear parts of our lives and ignore the flawed parts.
Something interesting happened. God told Paul that it was time to move back to Indiana. He had already told me but I had to wait for Paul to let me know what God had told him. He did not know God had put the same idea in my heart at the very same time he put it in Paul's. We are one flesh, so of course God would do that, but we do not always think of that at the time. I did not want to move back. None of us really wanted to uproot and do the whole moving and trusting God thing again. It is hard. If you have never done it, it is very hard, but we knew God is faithful and He would take care of us. So we moved back on Kadesia's birthday 12/27/20.
In Indiana it is winter and trust and believe it does not play with cold temperatures. We were having a true winter with snow and everything. (All the things I dislike.) So I had to go to work and I put on my defrost like I had done oodles of times in my life living in Hoosier winters. One morning my windshield cracked from the center flaw to the left and to the right a few inches either way. I did not know what to do. My jaw dropped!
Holy Spirit said in the right conditions that is the same thing that happens to us in the spiritual realm. We are just going about our business, doing what we know we have to do to survive, and then the small flaw becomes an even bigger one. My windshield cracked down low, which you can see in the picture below. Since it was below my line of vision to drive, I ignored it. It was okay. I still did not want to address the cracked windshield right in front of my face, but it was always a source of stress for me.
Each time I got into the car I was reminded that my windshield needed to be fixed. The crack that shoots off to the right was not there at this time. So I just kept ignoring it. I did not have the extra money to buy a windshield. I was not sure my insurance would cover it (they didn't). So I simply ignored the fact that I had a busted windshield and needed a new one. Sometimes it was like I forgot it was even there.
Holy Spirit said we can be so comfortable in our sin that after a while we just forget it's there. We are losing close fellowship with Jesus and we do not even realize it because it is so gradual and we are so aloof about it. This is dangerous! We have to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit's nudges for us to check our hearts.
Well a year passed and guess what. I am still in Indiana. I am in the winter season and this time my windshield cracked and it shot off to the right and then it curved and each day I saw it getting worse. I remember hearing the crunchy sound and as I looked up the line of cracked glass ran across the windshield another three inches. I was scared the windshield would shatter.
PSALM 51:15-17 (15)O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. (16)For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering. (17)The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
My mouth is showing forth God's praise. He receives us in our brokenness. He mends us and helps us and loves us. He puts us back together. My mother is a resourceful woman. If something is broken, she carefully gathers the pieces, glues them all back like they were, and many times you cannot even tell where the flaw was. God does that for us. And if there are holes in our hearts where we have had gaping wounds, then just remember, it is just another area for God's light and love to shine through us onto others who have had similar circumstances.
If you are broken, caught up in sin, disobedient to the things He is calling you to do because you are scared, or maybe you have just allowed compromise to weaken your relationship with Jesus, please come to Him. God sees you broken and busted like my windshield. He will mend your heart for free! It will cost you nothing but you will enjoy freedom and joy like you have never known. Do not let your heart be troubled. Do not worry! Believe in Jesus Christ and His power to free you from sin.
1 JOHN 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I hope something I shared today has been encouraging for you. I hope it has been strength for your journey and light for your way. God bless you!
~Bridgett Owens
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