Brokenness shapes our lives. Like it or not, hurt doesn’t go away easily. It’s there, waiting for us in the darker corners of ourselves. Sometimes the ache is dull, other times the pain is sharp and cold.

The biggest lie we believe about brokenness is that we are alone. We think no one can understand. The liar whispers to us again, ‘God doesn’t want you.’

Believing this lie lets the hurt win and holds us back. It holds us back from the relentless pursuit of the Father who is calling, looking, yearning for his beloved children.

God does want you.

“God is looking for you. If the Lord was to put out a job description for the type of people he was looking for, as far as I can see in the New Testament disciples he chose, it’s broken people, it’s people who don’t have it all together.” 

This realization is one of the many Focus on the Family president Jim Daly shares from his book, Stronger: Trading Brokenness for Unbreakable Strength.

Struggles, pain, hurt, he says, that’s what makes us human. We aren’t set apart as damaged because of brokenness. Rather, we are set apart as valued because of the work of Christ.

“We don’t own this life, especially for Christians. The Lord buys testimonies with a price, and that price is his blood. What he asks of us is to live out these lives honoring him and seeking him.”

Strength, true strength, comes from living lives redeemed. This process of overcoming brokenness with God, hard as it may be, is exactly the thing that gives us strength.

Jim also shares the story of some of the hurt in his life and other lessons he learned about genuine strength in his discussion with Susie.

Key Scriptures: Romans 8:28Psalm 34:18

Stronger