Out with the Old
This past spring, the kids and I did some spring cleaning. We started by cleaning out the kitchen cabinets. After twenty-six years of marriage, it was time to start replacing things. As I looked at my dishes, I noticed that they were old and chipped. Several had been broken and had been thrown away. Over time, I had bought random bowls because I was down to three in my set. I kept looking at these old, worn out dishes and I decided it was time to get new dishes.
In with the New
I set out to find a new set of dishes. After much searching and waiting for the right sale (I’m a bargain shopper), I found a set I could be happy with. I bought two eight-place settings. A few weeks later, I decided to order a third set in case some get broken in the future when I cannot replace them.
When the last set arrived and as I was unpacking them and loading them in the dishwasher, I found that one of my new bowls was broken. I called the store and was told that I had to either send the entire set back or return the set to a store about one hour away from us. Since I had already run half the dishes through the dishwasher, I was not very happy. I was upset so my husband took over. He started calling stores that were closer, and fortunately he located the same set of dishes only thirty minutes away. We loaded the broken set up and took them back. Of course, I stood at the checkout and unpacked the entire set to make sure there was not any broken ones in that set.
Lessons Learned from Broken Dishes
Yes, my old set of dishes was still usable. But they just did not look nice anymore and it was time for a change. Through this experience, I realized that God uses us even when we are broken. Sometimes, we have to be completely broken so that we can start new. God can use that brokenness for His good purpose! Sometimes, it is not until we are broken that we truly turn to Him. We do not always see a need for God until then. That is when he can use us.
God brings us through these times of brokenness. Like my husband did, He intercedes for us and takes care of our problems. We learn from it and then God can use us because of these experiences. And much like my broken dishes, God does not “throw us away” when we are broken. My well-loved old dishes have been boxed up and will go to one of my children when they get their first home.
Have you ever felt broken and useless?
Did you turn to God?
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