Being made whole is the Gospel promise and one we cling tenaciously to. Although we still tread warily through this world, with painful awareness of our brokenness.
I’m broken and splintered inside, but God is slowly putting me back together again, one tiny piece at a time.
Too many wounds and too much pain can make us crumble into the dust and ashes from whence we came.
Weakness is my default state. And it is precisely there where I hear God whisper the solace of His healing truth, how He is making me new and strong in Him.
Left to my own devices, I’m apt to say:
“Energy has flown
I’m a deflated balloon,
no air of my own.
I’ve become as wraith,
an insubstantial shadow
ghosting through my days.”
When we’re alone, isolated from one another, we feel far from whole. God knows we function better together as a body, where if one part is weak another that is strong can lift and hold them up, as a holy act of unity and love.
We become whole while sharing our pain and encouraging one another on the journey of life and faith.
As we lean harder on God, love stronger and give freely to others, we begin to receive our own peace and healing. We seek to strengthen others and allow them to minister to us too.
Rejoice in your wholeness in Christ, my friend, even when all you can sense right now is jagged pieces.
In time, you will discover how they become more like tiny splinters than thorns, losing their power to hurt you. All is goodness being birthed as your life is redeemed and restored by God’s grace.
Grateful as always to share my brokenness in community with the five-minute-friday writing crew at Kate Motaung’s site where this week’s prompt is ‘whole’, and with Barbie for Weekend Whispers as we share what God is speaking to our hearts. Come join us?
Words of Joy 
May the air of His sweet love fill you today, my friend!
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Dear June, as I finally emerge from an inexplicable dark cloud that has been hanging over me all week, I am so grateful for your prayer. God’s love is lifting my spirits and bringing joy back to my weary soul! Bless you, friend. May your weekend be one of deep soul rest and refreshment. Xx
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Love this, Joy. This has been a terribly hard week, but this has been how He’s carried me:
“He knows we function better together, as a body where if one part is weak, another that is strong can lift and hold them up as a holy act of unity and love.”
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Anna, I’m so sorry to hear how hard this week has been for you. You have my sympathy and prayers. I can also testify to the Lord’s sustaining and keeping power through the love, care, concern and faithfulness of others. Thinking of you, friend. Hang in there. May you have all the strength and equipping you need in this season of extra busyness.
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Loving your words today as I join you from Kate’s.
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Hi Natasha. It’s lovely to meet you! Thanks for stopping by to offer sweet words of encouragement. I’m blessed by your visit and hope to see you here again. Blessings.
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Lovely post- so important to remember that we are meant to function as a body, that we need one another. It’s so easy for pain and brokenness to cause us to hide away but such healing in loving one another and journeying through the brokenness together. i love this: “As we lean harder on God, love stronger and give freely to others, we begin to receive our own peace and healing.”
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Carly, I can truly relate to your words: “It’s so easy for pain and brokenness to cause us to hide away.” But there is strength, grace and compassion to be had from the body of Christ as we are given courage to share our stories; and healing to be found in “loving one another and journeying through the brokenness together.” Amen, friend! I’m so thankful to have you here to share this journey together. Bless you.
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This is beautiful, Joy. I love how again and again “God tenderly gathers the fragments of our frailty and knits us together again.” Sometimes it’s hard to go on, but underneath are His everlasting arms to carry us further and give us ever deeper healing in Him. Blessings and hugs to you!
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Trudy, your kindness, encouragement and understanding mean so much to me. I thank God for your companionship as we walk the path toward greater wholeness and healing together. Bless you for being such a supportive part of this community. Blessings, love and prayers. Xx
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Thank you Joy, what an inspiring post x
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Thanks, Mandy! I just love the way God inspires and fires our ability to write and share words. Bless you for stopping by, my friend. x
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THIS: “He knows we function better together, as a body where if one part is weak, another that is strong can lift and hold them up as a holy act of unity and love.” Community truly is a gift that helps us to be whole. I’m in the #8 spot this week.
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Tara, I share how you see community as a gift of grace, and I love being in the beautiful writing/blogging community of five-minute-friday too. Have a blessed weekend, friend!
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What a delight to be your neighbor on the Linkup at Barbie’s Weekend Whispers today and share in what you have written here. You are so right! Have a blessed weekend touched by His love and care for you as well as His confidence that He makes all things new!
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Hi Pam. Thanks for stopping by. It’s good to meet you through Weekend Whispers! I’m so pleased you found something that spoke to you here. May you have a weekend of deeper resting in God’s love and knowing He is taking good care of everything. Blessings.
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I just adore your honesty in your posts. And yes, I believe we are made to hold each other up, sisters in Christ! Blessings!
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Carrie, honesty is a quality I so admire in your posts too, my friend. We are definitely stronger together! Blessings, sister in Christ. 🙂
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Beautifully said, Joy. So grateful to serve the “Fragment Gatherer,” who knits me back together when I’m feeling broken. Lovely words, Joy, thank you for sharing. ((sweet blessings))
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Hi Brenda, I love how you have taken my words and magnified them in your description of God as our “Fragment Gatherer.” Indeed He is! So pleased you found something that spoke to you here. Thanks for visiting. Do drop by again, friend. Bless you. 🙂
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Wow, Joy. The picture at the top said a thousand words.
Unity, solidarity, joy, peace, strength, grace.
Thank you for sharing this …
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Doesn’t it just? I try to use images that suit the text and this one is especially apt. Together we have the grace gifts of “unity, solidarity, joy, peace, strength, grace” as God works in and through us – Amen! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Linda. It’s always a pleasure to see you here.
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Joy, first, forgive me for not stopping by sooner. I always appreciate your words, and this post is no exception.
Your words are spot on. When we offer ourselves in encouragement through listening, sharing truth, and words of hope, when we pour out what we have and share Jesus’ love with others, God has this way of bringing healing to our own hearts and lives.
I loved this: “We become whole while sharing our pain and encouraging one another on the journey of life and faith.”
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Jeanne, it’s always a joy to see you here and no apologies are needed. I know how hard it can be to keep up with visiting and reading all the blogs we would like to read. Life has a way of taking over sometimes, doesn’t it? Yes, I have witnessed how God uses all we go through to help bring hope and healing to those we share our story with. He turns our tests and trials into a wonderful testimony of His grace, and makes a worthwhile message emerge from our mess when we surrender it to Him. Have a blessed week, my friend. Hope to catch up with you soon! 🙂 x
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Thank you for showing us the beauty on brokenness. We are made whole because we have a big God who loves nothing more than taking our brokenness and loving it into wholeness. May you feel this amazing love today and everyday.
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I love what you say here: “We are made whole because we have a big God who loves nothing more than taking our brokenness and loving it into wholeness.” That’s the key thing, isn’t it Mary? I’m always so blessed by your visits and the way you add to the conversation here with your own beautiful insights. Thank you, friend! 🙂 x
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