As I reflect over my life this Thanksgiving I ponder the question, “What am I most thankful for?” The obvious answer is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and what He did for me on the cross, That’s a given for any believer in this world but what else am I truly grateful for? There are the other well-known and appropriate answers that fly around the dinner table on Thanksgiving; family, friends, health, home and of course, food.
But there is another thing I’m grateful for and that’s brokenness. In my book ‘The Bridge’ I repeatedly refer to brokenness as a gift from God. No matter how painful, despairing, and lonely it can be at times, to me it is the one thing I am most thankful for in my daily life. Its benefits and freedoms far out way its difficulties. The Apostle Paul said it best when addressing the believers at Corinth, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
I am in total agreement with the Apostle Paul. After taking my journey over ‘The Bridge’ of brokenness, a journey that led me out of the Wasteland and back home to the Garden (our original paradise abode), my life has blossomed like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields fruit in its season!
I will admit that brokenness can be very painful emotionally at times even to the point of despair, but God has a very distinct purpose in that desperation – Freedom! And for those who have experienced brokenness in a deep way, we will all boast of the freedom we have deep down in our soul. We recognize that there are no more good days or bad days, there are just days filled with grace! There is no more good news or bad news, there is just news defined by perspective; We as broken people must always choose God’s grace and perspective because it produces the freedom we need to follow God’s lead and enjoy His best!.
You have heard it said that there is a road less traveled, but I tell you that there is also a bridge less crossed. Traversing it takes determination to persevere and a ‘committed heart’ that looks for solutions rather than exits. There are plenty of escape routes on the journey across the bridge of brokenness but they all lead back to the Wasteland. If your hearts’ desire is freedom, then never quit. Never give up on God because He will never give up on you.
Thank you God for your amazing gift of brokenness and the freedom that comes with it. Thank you Jesus for your death on the Cross and the life you gave me on it. And thank you Holy Spirit for your counsel, guidance and friendship Thank you dear Trinity for allowing me to be part of your family and the privilege of being called a child of God.
Dario L. Perla