Anchored forever: Broken

Showing posts with label Broken. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG

If you have been following my blog closely, I have mentioned about my ill health. Yes, I have been down for a while now. I was diagnosed with ovarian cyst and along with some other complications for which I underwent a very painful surgery. I almost died out of pain while they did few other tests. I knew this was going to be painful since I had read so many reviews before. I didn't want to go through any of these tests or surgery. Several times I cried to God to take this away from me. But God just gave me a verse through my dad on the day of my surgery. He said, “God’s grace is sufficient for Gracema (dad calls me Gracema)”. While being broken, I held on to this verse.

I read again from 2 Corinthians 12 where Apostle Paul says, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Even now as I'm recovering from the pain, I am mediating that when I am weak, then I am strong. Whatever you may be undergoing today, God’s grace is sufficient for you.

SEARCH ME GOD

Yet another unanswered prayer

At your feet, I lay my fear

On my cheek rolls a tear

Your voice, I want to hear

Search me God

I yearn not to enrich my pain

My requests are they in vain?

Your glory did I just gain?

Pleading on my knees again

Search me God

To You, I bring my broken heart

My thoughts to You I set apart

Cleanse me and help me restart

Thy will in my life to impart

Search me God

In sorrow and anguish I weep

My eyes, so heavy but cant sleep

Dispatch sins from You that keep

Shepherd this squandered sheep

Search me God

Lead me towards everlasting way

Surrendering myself, in bed I lay

Strength to pass the test I pray

With You beside, I can face the day

Search me God

- by Grace Xavier

Poem published in GloMag September 2016 issue:

http://glomaglib.blogspot.in/2016/09/glomag-september-2016.html

Story behind the poem:

"Search me O Lord" is a poem inspired by Psalm 139, where the psalmist asks God to search him. This verse spoke to me deeply and I have been praying this verse as a prayer. Just thought of jotting down few things running on my mind in the form of a poem.

LORD I OFFER MY LIFE

Sometimes God gives you something and sometimes He takes it away. In either ways, blessed be His name. Today I want to lay down my heart, dreams, desires, hopes, plans and everything I have been through to Him. This beautiful songs really speaks my heart right now. Hope you are encouraged as I am.

Lord I offer my life to You

Everything I've been through

Use it for Your glory

Lord I offer my days to You

Lifting my praise to You

As a pleasing sacrifice

Lord I offer You my life

All that I am all that I have

I lay them down before You O Lord

All my regrets all my acclaim

The joy and the pain

I'm making them Yours

Things in the past things yet unseen

Wishes and dreams

That are yet to come true

All of my hopes all of my plans

My heart and my hands

Are lifted to You

What can we give

That You have not given

And what do we have

That is not already Yours

All we possess are

These lives we're living

And that's what

We give to You Lord

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalm 51:19).

TELL YOUR HEART TO BEAT AGAIN

I have been going thru a lot lately and this song speaks so very loudly to me in so many ways. “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again” is a song that talks about pain and loss, yet serves as a reminder of the hope that is always present even in the most trying times. Literally every line in there is so powerful. It talks about love and says ‘there’s fear, there’s faith, there’s loss, there’s grace. This is what it means to be alive.’

Let every heartbreak and every scar, be a picture that reminds you Who has carried you this far, ‘cause love sees farther than you ever could. In this moment Heaven's working everything for your good.

Sometimes it takes you and me to tell our own heart “beat again, love again, hope again.” ...

Shattered, like you've never been before

The life you knew

In a thousand pieces on the floor

Words fall short in times like these

When this world drives you to your knees

You think you're never gonna get back

To the you that used to be

Tell your heart to beat again

Close your eyes and breathe it in

Let the shadows fall away

Step into the light of Grace

Yesterday's a closing door

You don't live there anymore

Say goodbye to where you've been

And tell your heart to beat again

Beginning, just let that word wash over you

It's alright now

Love's healing hands have pulled you through

So get back up and take step one

Leave the darkness feel the sun

Cause your story's far from over

And your journey's just begun

Tell your heart to beat again

Close your eyes and breathe it in

Let the shadows fall away

Step into the light of Grace

Yesterday's a closing door

You don t live there anymore

Say goodbye to where you've been

And tell your heart to beat again

Let every heartbreak and every scar

Be a picture that reminds you Who has carried you this far

‘Cause love sees farther than you ever could

In this moment Heaven's working everything for your good

Tell your heart to beat again

Close your eyes and breathe it in

Let the shadows fall away

Step into the light of Grace

Yesterday's a closing door

You don't live there anymore

Say goodbye to where you've been

And tell your heart to beat again

Your heart to beat again, beat again

Oh, so tell your heart to beat again

3 LESSONS OF BROKENNESS

I have been asking God what I should ponder on this year. God has been lately dealing with me through brokenness. He is reminding me to be a broken person so that He can use me.

Sometime life can just break you into pieces. Brokenness – quite the word! It brings such thoughts of painful situations. Our personal lives often have multiple themes of brokenness happening at once or sometimes on a daily basis. I’m learning that brokenness is a process where I need to be broken until I have reached the point where I have totally crucified my so called “SELF”. Dad often says the simple definition of Brokenness is “Not my will but Gods’ ”! The "I" in me should die!

3 THINGS BROKENNESS HAS DONE TO ME:

MADE ME MORE HUMBLE

Brokenness has exposed my pride. While being unbroken, I sometimes tend to venture on my own like I can manage everything on my own. God reminded me that I can’t do ANYTHING without Him. Without Him I am NOTHING. He had to bring me to ZERO. I needed to repent, fall on my face and ask God for His grace. It’s in my pain and hurt and failing that I remember His goodness and love. When I am broken, God can shine on me! To pick me up, to dust me off and to become a source of hope for others who are broken like me.

GIVEN ME NEW STRENGTH

In order to use men and women to their fullest extent, God had to break His servants so that they might have a new kind of strength. It is Strength in SPIRIT that is born only through Brokenness. It’s in my weakness that He is made strong. I’m nowhere near complete, but I refuse to stop in the middle of the process. I will run the race to completion – in my marriage, my family and place of work. With God’s strength I will run and not look back. I will press on and embrace the future hope and plans that God has for me.

DRAWN ME CLOSER TO GOD

It’s never fun walking through the fire, being in the storm, stumbling in the darkness…yet, in the midst of the brokenness I can hear God – I feel His presence and I know that He is with me through the pain. Brokenness hurts, brokenness disrupts and brokenness often involves painful memories, hurtful scars and deep anguish. But God will not leave, He will not forsake, and He promises to make beauty out of ashes. I have experienced this, and continue to experience it, first-hand and God will do the same for you!

God reminded me this verse by the Psalmist:

“The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” Psalm 51:17

Brokenness is not just for one day but I want it to become a life style. My heart’s desire this year is to be a broken person. May 2016 be the "YEAR OF BROKENNESS".

LIGHT IN THE DARK

December 2014! It was the season of celebration. Our whole family were looking forward for our Christmas and New year vacation. Excitement level was high. We then heard of the sudden death of our dear aunt. We were shattered. We could not understand why this had happened. But we soon realized that God has His own plan. We just need to know that God is in control of EVERYTHING. God is Sovereign!

When I went back home I felt heavy and sad. I wanted to hear from God. I went on the net and clicked on a random sermon of Joel Osteen. It was so very apt. God has His own way of speaking to me. Here is the message that blessed my heart. It's called "Joel Osteen Light in the Dark Places 2014"

These are the two songs that have been lately running on my mind. Hope the lyrics speak to your heart!

SOVEREIGN

Sovereign in the mountain air

Sovereign on the ocean floor

With me in the calm

With me in the storm

Sovereign in my greatest joy

Sovereign in my deepest cry

With me in the dark

With me at the dawn

In your everlasting arms

All the pieces of my life

From beginning to the end

I can trust you

In your never failing love

You work everything for good

God whatever comes my way

I will trust you

All my hopes

All I need

Held in your hands

All my life

All of me

Held in your hands

All my fears

All my dreams

Held in your hands

"COME AS YOU ARE"

Come out of sadness

From wherever you’ve been

Come broken hearted

Let rescue begin

Come find your mercy

Oh sinner come kneel

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can’t heal

Earth has no sorrow That heaven can’t heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You’re not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

There’s hope for the hopeless

And all those who’ve strayed

Come sit at the table

Come taste the grace

There’s rest for the weary

Rest that endures

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can’t cure

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You’re not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

Fall in his arms

Come as you are

There’s joy for the morning

Oh sinner be still

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can’t heal

VERSE FOR THE DAY - Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of joy

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor.

LESSONS I HAVE LEARNT THROUGH PAIN

It’s often said that we learn more from our mistakes and trials than our successes. This year I’ve experienced how this is true.

I wanted to share the lessons I’ve learned in the hope they might encourage someone else going through a difficult time. While I know sadly these lessons are often only learned through experience. While we live in a broken world pain will always be with us, but there is so much better for us – for you.

These are the lessons I’ve learned:

1.Time doesn’t heal, God does.

Hard times will come. They will change you. While some may say you’ll be stronger as a result, that might not be the case (and you certainly won’t feel it as you’re healing!). They could leave you more broken than before. I can tell this with my own experience - Time doesn’t heal, God does.

2. God always forgives

Sometimes you will make mistakes; consciously or unconsciously. Either way, admit to them and their consequences. Learn from them. Commit to never doing them again. While God always forgives, He ultimately only wants the best for us. He loves us too much to leave us the way we are, and when we make mistakes, it’s a clear indication something needs to change.

3. There is always hope

Make sure you know where your hope lies. Even in the darkest of times when all hope seems to be gone, the hope God provides is the one thing that will always remain. When everything fails, hope still remains. Never loose hope, you never know what tomorrow will bring.

4. Love them by letting them

Life is like the wind. It can change direction at any time, and is subject to forces beyond the eye can see. While we can plan our ways, it’s God who determines our path. Our own plans are futile unless they are in line with the wind, and they are the absolute best when they are. Everyone can choose to walk away. Love them by letting them. The best way to live is to let go. Pray for them and leave them in God’s hands. Not everyone, who crosses your path are meant to stay there forever!

5. Forgiveness is a gift

Forgiveness isn’t easy. It doesn’t take away the pain, and it doesn’t mean it’s deserved. Some will say to forgive because it helps you move forward yourself. While there is truth in that, it’s not true forgiveness. Forgiveness is a gift, a selfless act of love that is given, not something that is done to receive. The only place I have found truth in forgiveness is through a deeper revelation of how God loves us: unconditionally and undeserved. When I understood this I saw how God wants freedom in forgiveness for everyone; even those who have caused us pain. That’s why we forgive; because we were first forgiven. How? Not in our own strength, but by seeing those who’ve hurt us through God’s eyes: with His unconditional and abundant love.

If at the end of a hard year you more honestly love and are loved than at the beginning, it hasn’t just been a hard year – it’s been a very good year.

- Praying women

OPEN LETTER TO MILEY CYRUS

Genuinely the most refreshing thing I’ve read on this subject. Especially the more unusual Christian response of not preaching scripture for once. The world needs more Christians demonstrating love like this. I'm so touched by this letter so sharing it here.

I think This Is What Jesus Would Do ….

An open letter to Miley Cyrus from Pastor Jarrid Wilson below:

Dear Miley Cyrus,

I first want to say how sorry I am for the way Christians are treating you, tweeting you, and hypocritically judging you for your performance at the VMA’s. While most of the world sits back and wonders “What the heck happened to Miley?” I personally wonder, “What’s going on in Miley’s heart?”

I cannot say I enjoyed your performance, but I can say I my heart breaks for you, your future, and your identity as a woman.

There are so many things I don’t know about you, but something tells me that you are going through more than you are willing to share with the people around you. I can’t imagine being surrounded by the paparazzi 24/7, living in the shadow of your dad, and constantly being asked, “What happened to that sweet girl from Hannah Montana?”

I get it, you’re an adult now. You don’t want to be forever viewed as the Child-Star from Disney Channel. But I can promise you that this isn’t the way to break that mold.

A Few Things:

1. You deserve to be respected.

2. You deserve to be treated like a lady.

3. You deserve a man who will treat you with honor.

But the current lifestyle you are living will make it very hard for you to find any of these things. I say this because I care about you, even though I have never met you. You have a platform that is beyond grasp, and I believe your potential to use it for good is unmeasurable.

I’m not going throw any scripture at you. I’m not going to tell you how wrong you are. And I’m not going to tell you that you need Jesus.

Why?

Because frankly, I think you already know all of these things.

You’re a smart girl who has found herself caught up in the world of entertainment. I assume it’s rough. I can’t imagine being constantly surrounded by drugs, sex and alcohol. And I can’t imagine the peer pressure you must feel from labels, managers, and other artists around the world pressuring you to be something you’re not.

I’m here to tell you: YOU DON’T NEED TO LISTEN TO THEM. You are allowed to make your own decisions, and quite frankly this might be the first time anyone has ever told you that.

Regardless of what the tabloids say, my wife and I still believe in you, and will always show an open hand of grace and second chances.

-Jarrid Wilson

TOO MUCH TO BEAR

"How do you know when how much is too much? Too much too soon. Too much information. Too much fun. Too much love. Too much to ask... And when is it all just too much to bear?"

Here again I have ripped my own heart

Unbearable pain from the sharp dart

Got up to leave but just right fell in

Bruised and shattered deep within