Broken TeaCups
My daughter loves to travel. When abroad, she collects magnets and mugs. From Spain to London, Seattle to Washington DC, her cupboard is filled with cups. Recently, when I opened the cupboard, I saw one where the handle was broken off. It made me think of this quote I found from N. T. Wright, theologian, and author; “From broken teacups, broken lives to broken societies - mending is part of making, and making reflects and embodies God’s redemptive purposes.”
When we lose a loved one, we face the brokenness of grief, loss, suffering, and pain. The brokenness is overwhelming, and we wonder if it will ever go away. And we feel like we’re the only ones who are experiencing the depth of pain.
How does the mending come? What does it look like? Where do we begin?
Healing begins with being honest with ourselves and with God. Inviting God into our brokenness to sit with us in the pain allows us to experience the mending we desire. Telling God all of it: the anger, the unanswered questions, the ache, and the isolation. Our wounds matter. God sees our hearts, hears our cries, and loves us. Prayers without words are received.
Mending is a process and takes time. Slowly, we begin to see light in the cavernous pit, discovering we are not alone. We have companions that provide hope that we will not stay where we are. Recently, I heard a podcast with Curtis Chang, author of The Anxiety Opportunity; “The Christian message is that God will accompany you through loss as you go with others through it.” He went on to say that we can be a “living embodiment of redemptive change as we hover with each other.” What a beautiful example of mending in the making as we hover together.