Linking up with Lisa-Jo for this week's Five Minute Friday: Broken.
Go.
I'd much rather be the one who is broken than the one who is walking with someone--someone bloodied and bruised from life, sin, poor choices, people--because walking with a person through their brokenness? That's the hardest of all.
I hate the helplessness I bring. I hate that I can't fix their problem{s}. I hate that what Jesus asks me to do is to be with them. Not to fix them. Not to "help" them.
But to love them. To do the next right thing, as Elisabeth Elliot says. To pray and love and just walk through today with them.
Maybe it's because, in seeing the frailty of another, I glimpse my own shattered pieces. I see how much alike we are. I'm afraid to touch wounds and offer balm because it's messy and unpredictable and complicated and there is no guarantee that if I faithfully walk with you through this--by God's grace maybe more grace-fully than I have in the past--there's no guarantee that you will come out the other side "better." There's no promise of healing on this side of heaven. There's no certainty that pain will end, brokenness be healed beautifully.
But I will walk with you. By God's grace, I will walk with you. And I will pray to the only One Who can heal our broken places, both yours and mine.
Stop.
Nikki,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post! Why? I feel the same way. It is so difficult to see others go through a broken period in their lives. You want to "fix" it, but God is the only One who has the power to fix and mend our broken places. Found you at Five-Minute Friday. Blessings!
Oh my goodness, we would be a good pair, Nikki- because I prefer to walk beside one who is broken rather than be the one who is broken. I find it so much easier to worry and care for another than to accept that I have things that I need support with. I loved reading your beautiful writing and hearing a different point of view. :)
ReplyDeleteThis was absolutely beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHi Nikki. I found your post through the 5MF link up. Thank you for sharing. This is hard for me too. I always feel so awkward, like I should be saying or doing something. And yes, like I should be 'fixing it'. Perhaps that's the problem. I'm not the Fixer upper. I should just leave that to the One who is able!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Ah yes, to long to fix things, to feel uncomfortable in the brokenness, to see our own vulnerabilities in the eyes of another's struggle...thank you for your words. Such truth here. Joining you in looking to the One who can heal our most broken places. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteNikki, this is lovely! I'm a "fixer/doer" so to just be present is often difficult for me. You are so right in that God will fix and mend and I sometimes just need to be present.
ReplyDelete