His music gave life and hope to the world.
Few things are more fulfilling than being an instrument of hope in the life of another. God is the master musician and when we allow him to play his music through us we release songs of hope to a broken world. However, just like the flute, we too can stifle God’s song when we refuse to deal with our brokenness within. For we cannot give out what we do not have. Nor can we attain what we need if we’re not first honest about what we lack. How exactly do we begin?
We begin with honesty. We admit our brokenness. Whether insecurity, fear selfishness, pride, anger, envy or any other vice smothering our faith, we simply and finally give it to God. Such honesty of our lack is no indictment of our faith; it is, rather, its very affirmation. For when God takes our brokenness, everything changes. Probably not right away but eventually, if we’re patient, he’ll prove his ability to heal and restore. Though his methods vary, they always begin with honesty of all that we are and are not and all that we’ve done and left undone. This humble beginning is the doorway to the journey of radical restoration.
Why are we so broken? We’re born into a world riddled by sin. It ravages our bodies, decays our hearts, and corrupts our societies; we are powerless to overcome its deadly force. This sickness rules our hearts so that the love and joy we naturally crave remain ever just beyond our reach. For some, the sickness is subtle and others it is stark but for us all, the diagnosis is the same … we are broken. The cure: we need to be restored and we need to be made whole. Such change is never easy nor is it comfortable but, in the end, we’ll finally begin to taste the life that’s always eluded us. Yet, there is more. God wants to use our restoration as a catalyst for healing other broken souls. How does this happen?
We must tell our story. We must tell others our journey of restoration … how we are no longer what we used to be. Every time we share our story it strengthens our faith and boosts another’s. So, the restoration we’ve gained has a purpose beyond our own well-being—it becomes a source of hope for others struggling in their brokenness. Next week, we continue our theme of spiritual brokenness with our last animated reading on this topic.
What Do You Think?
Have you ever been impacted by a person’s story of faith? If so, how so? What do you think God’s song of hope in and through you might look like?
♦ To see the video and poem this post is based on, click here.
