There is a part of our human nature that needs to matter, to be validated, to
feel self worth. Whether that need is easy to see in our insecurities or
whether the validation we all seem to consciously or unconsciously seek from
the world, our peers or work is more hidden even from ourselves, the need to
feel validated and find self worth is part of the human condition.
Yet when we seek validation here in the world, we find it to be temporary. It’s
not long before our insecurities need it again and again. The reason for this, I
believe, is that we can never adequately fill the hole of our own brokenness to
feel better, to feel worth, from a world and people that is broken itself. This is
why the world’s validation of worth seems temporary at best and ultimately fails.
The good news, however, is that we don’t need to be validated by others and
a world that is broken, but by a perfect and holy God who is not.
Yes, because of our sin we all have faults - we all are broken. (Rom 3:23, 1 John 1:8)
But the only one we need to be validated by and look to for our worth is the one
who defines it and made us to begin with. (Psalm 139:13-16)
If you stop to see your worth and yourself through the eyes of God according to His Word, you
find that you are deeply loved by the one who more than loves, but “is” love. (1 John 4:161 John4:8)
How much does your maker love you?
Every Day God thinks of you. (Psalm 68:19)
Every hour God looks after you. (2 Thess 3:3)
Every minute God cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
Because every second He loves you. (Jer 31:3)
By grace through faith He made us His Children (John 1:10-12, Gal 3:26),
and when we separated ourselves from a perfect and holy God by our sinful ways (Isaiah 59:1-2),
His intense and personal love for us through Jesus came to the world in order to rescue us. Jesus as the only perfect and holy sacrifice capable of paying the debt of our sins, willingly allowed Himself to become our sin and die in our place on the cross - the Righteous one for the unrighteous. (1 Peter 3:18) He gave His life, in order to to give us the gift of eternal life and change us from
condemned and broken to redeemed and whole.(Col. 1:22)
Most of us are very aware of our broken areas (Psalm 34:18), while others for the
moment feel far from broken and on top of their own temporary world (1 John1:8).
But we are all broken - all of us sin (Rom 3:23) - we all fall short of the glory
and are not worthy to be with a God who is perfect and holy when we are not.
But when God uses brokenness according to His purpose and will, blessings
through Him are sure to follow (Rom 8:28).
Whether it’s the 5 loaves of bread Jesus broke to bless and feed more than
5000 with 12 basketfuls left over (Matt 14:19-21), or the many breaks Joseph
endured that God used to put him in position to supply bread for all the
nations (Gen 37-50), we see that God does not use anything until it is first broken
for His purpose. It is in our broken wills, desires and repentant hearts that we
are more pliable and ready to be made over by the potter’s hands and shared
with those in need. (Psalm 51:17)
God himself used broken to make us whole through the Savior Jesus.
Remember how Jesus did this at the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, the
day before his sacrifice as payment for our sins:
Matthew 26:26-28 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he
broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”27
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them,
saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is
poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”(Matthew 26:26-28)
The next day, on a Friday we now call good, Jesus took our place and gave
His body to be broken in order to take away our sin and make us right again with God.
(Isaiah 53:5-6) (Col 1:22) (Rom 6:18)
Will you have trouble in a sinful world? - Yes, but Jesus reminds us that He has
already overcome the brokenness of this world and our sin for us.(John 16:33)
We are no longer bound to our past and what we were, for He has made us a
new creation in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:17)
The next time you feel worthless and broken, remember by grace through
faith who has already declared your worth and taken your brokenness and
made you - forever whole. (Rom 8:28, 1 Cor 2:9)
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THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH “It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are
planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our
bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are
buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as
natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as
there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.” (1 Cor. 15: 42-44)
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the
earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I
will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am
overwhelmed at the thought!” (Job 19:25)
