“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
I’m not sure when I fell apart. But I do remember the moment I realized whatever glue had been holding all my pieces together was no longer holding. So, I apologized to my husband for being so emotionally unstable and broken.
I did, however, know why I felt broken. As an adult survivor of alcoholism and abuse, I endured rejection from my peers and even my own father. This is because my disability made me different. And when I finally overcame these difficulties, I lost my son when he was a little over a year old.
But grief and survival took their toll. My defense mechanisms ranged from keeping incessantly busy to anger, fight, and flight. I also built impenetrable walls, which left me feeling isolated and lonely. And as time passed, I became depressed and fragile. I believed something was wrong with me. I felt shattered, broken, and unlovable.
It was at this point of brokenness I began seeking God. And as I sought the Lord and dug into my bible, I realized I’d been believing a lie. Everyone is lovable. God created us in His image and likeness. God loves us simply because we are His. In fact, God loves us so much He sent Jesus to save us even when we were still sinners. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, ESV).
So, we need not feel ashamed of who we are. All we must do is believe. Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11). God loves us just as we are. We never need to earn God’s love. And nothing can make us lose it. “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, ESV).
The enemy lies. He says we are broken, unlovable, and, thus, useless. He aims to keep us from living in the peace and freedom Jesus gave us. Because he knows this renders us useless in fulfilling our Godly purpose or calling for our life. But God’s truth says we are not broken. We are God’s beautiful creation. God created us for a purpose. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).
In this scripture, the Greek translation of the word “masterpiece” is “poema.” It means something skillfully wrought and artfully created. It’s pretty much the opposite of broken, unlovable, and useless. So, we can stop believing the enemy’s lies. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done or what’s been done to us. We are God’s masterpiece.
Picture yourself as a beautiful stained glass window. Artists create stained glass from broken or heated and cut pieces of glass. Next, they chip or grind the pieces into exact shapes. Then, they paint and solder the pieces together into a work of art. The process takes patience, hard work, and heat. But the result is breathtaking. Similarly, God uses His refining process to help us become more like Christ. “In the same way that gold and silver are refined by fire, the Lord purifies your heart by the tests and trials of life” (Proverbs 17:3, TPT).
Life can be challenging. Trials Can beat us down. Sometimes it feels as if we are breaking into pieces. But God lets life’s trials refine us so we become better. But no matter how shattered or battered we feel, we are not broken beyond repair. Jesus takes our broken pieces and creates them into a work of art. And when we allow Him to shine His light and love through us, we are breathtakingly beautiful. “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, ESV).
Dear Father God, Thank you for sending Jesus to help me put my shattered pieces back together. When I am going through life’s trials, help me remember these are part of your refining process. Strengthen my faith so I can see myself as a beautiful work of art with your love shining through. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
For Further Study:
A Beautiful Sight to See Through: The Hard and Unusual Craft of Stained Glass
