There is a rare beauty that comes from brokenness. Do you sometimes feel full of ‘cracks’ and imperfect? That feeling that something beautiful cannot come out of your brokenness? An old Japanese art, Kintsugi, hides a valuable life lesson that applies to every person’s life, including yours!
In this work of art, lacquer is mixed with powdered gold, silver or even platinum to repair cracks. The final product reveals something that was once broken and is now more valuable and beautiful than before. But Kintsugi also goes hand in hand with the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi which is about seeing everything that is flawed and imperfect as beautiful and unique.
It also reminded me of something in the Bible which says
we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.
The verse continues, “This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.’ (NLV 2 Corinthians 4:7). The Amplified translation says it so much more beautifully: ‘But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty] so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.’ In our brokenness, God wants to restore us. He is with you through your brokenness; He holds your hand when life wants to break you.
In the end, together with God, you come out whole and more valuable.
Read: When life gets too hard to stand, kneel
May you allow God to put gold in your cracks and make you whole. May you embrace your cracks and find that beauty in brokenness that comes from them as you walk with God. If you need help along the way, as we all do, please drop in for a chat via our Youth Hotline.
For more inspiration listen to our podcasts on iono.fm.
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