Do you ever get times when you find you dwell far more on your brokenness than on God’s grace? When one more failure seems to suggest you’re unworthy in yourself? And social media, coupled with advertising, constantly reminds you how flawed, inadequate and incomplete you are? I do.
Your triggers might differ from mine, but whatever the cause it’s often hard to move on from our brokenness or fight back against discouragement, isn’t it? We can forget how very broken we all are before God and that He doesn’t demand perfection from us. We can forget that God’s grace covers all our sins, failures and mistakes.
We can forget what powerful discouragement fighting weapons we have in the practice of gratitude, prayer and praise. In seeking solace in Scripture’s rich promises. In simply asking someone for help when we’re out of our depth or find it hard to pray for ourselves.
I don’t like inhabiting the doldrums for long. And I am always relieved when God offers a loving arm to pull me out, especially when it comes unexpectedly through a five-minute-friday word prompt.
I am always lifted as I find a poem taking shape that expresses my feelings and reveals the solution as well, while God whispers Hope to my soul. He will do the same for you, too, my friend, in the way your heart needs to receive it.
Made complete
there’s a hollow ache
rattling around inside
issuing from the place
where I often seek to hide
it’s calling out my name
telling me I’m not enough
fuelling me with shame
I’m unworthy to be loved
then I hear another voice
warm as honey in my soul
filled with hope and grace
promising I can be whole
my deep brokenness
is no deterrent here
it’s a vehicle via which
my Saviour will appear
he knows all about my pain
whispers solace to my heart
makes me complete again
frees me from sin and dark
all I considered lost
broken beyond repair
is redeemed at the Cross
a gift beyond compare
© joylenton
I’m grateful God doesn’t wait for us to clean up our act before coming to Him, and He always has a place in His heart for the prodigals, the broken and lost.
I’m thankful for being given the means to share my poem with the wrangling wordsmiths that make up the fabulous #fiveminutefriday community. You are very welcome to join in or click here to read the great posts being shared. This week’s prompt is: ‘Connect’. 🙂
Poetry Joy 
Beautiful poem! You have a great way with words. I’m visiting from FMF where I also wrote a poem about my broken state and need for a Savior. I’m very glad I stumbled upon this blog.
Thank you! I’m glad you like it. I also enjoyed reading yours. It’s lovely to connect with you! Have a blessed weekend. 😊
This is a beautiful poem, Joy! It is easy at times to dwell on the brokenness instead of turning to God. It is so encouraging to know that we can go to him just as we are. I love the song you shared too!
Thanks, Lesley! It really is a great encouragement and privilege to know God longs for us to turn to Him, and He has the perfect solution to our brokenness and a heart full of compassion and love toward us. Have a blessed day. 😊❤
Reblogged this on Pastor Michael Moore's Blog and commented:
Amen, Joy ❤️❤️
Bless you, Michael! Thank you for sharing my words with your readers. You are such an encouragement to me and so many. 😊❤
❤️❤️Thanks, Joy
Oh Joy, this has got to be one of my favorite poems. Such truth and such warmth in your words.
I love what what you say here:
my deep brokenness
is no deterrent here
it’s a vehicle via which
my Saviour will appear
I really think we discover the depths of His love in the depths of our struggles- where He wraps us in His compassion. I had never dwelt on that word compassion in the Scripture every one knows: His mercies are new every morning. But lately I am seeing it truly is His compassion that faileth not – it’s what gives us the courage to look in the mirror and repent. Because we see that He doesn’t respond like we expect or are used to from the world around us.
It’s the fact that He sees what lies beneath my sin and weakness that floors me every time. He sees my yearning and need for Him in places of my heart I have never exposed or even realized were there. Places He wants to reveal more of Himself in and through.
God has given you such a gift with words that come straight from His heart.
Dear Anna, I love how you see things and the way you always minister to me whenever you visit and leave a thoughtful comment. You have a beautiful gift of insight and encouragement.
I agree that God’s compassion is what drives us to our knees with an expectation of being lovingly and mercifully received, instead of being condemned, as we think and know we deserve to be. There is none other who knows us so thoroughly and intimately, flaws and all, yet loves us so tenderly and infinitely as well. Truly awesome and awe inspiring! Bless you, sweet friend. xo 💜
Beautiful and perfect sentiment, I used to identify with Jesus suffering more than resurrection, which makes pain even worse. And it’s okay about the e-mail, I get backlogged myself.
Becky, I think it’s only natural for us to focus a lot on the crucifixion and all it entailed for Jesus to suffer on our behalf. Although the resurrection victory is what shapes the way we live now and the freedom we have in Christ to overcome. Thank you for your understanding and grace re the emails. It’s a comfort to know I am not alone in getting snowed under by them and being slow to respond! Bless you, my friend. xo 😊💜
Dear Joy,
Oh, I love these words. I find it so interesting that we all hear those taunts of the enemy and our own fleshly shame-filled thoughts, and we’re so quick to believe them! But yet, just as you say here:
“then I hear another voice
warm as honey in my soul
filled with hope and grace
promising I can be whole”
the voice of Jesus is truly so different than all the rest! His words are like honey, so warm and soothing. May I open my heart to hear more of His voice above all the rest. He does redeem every bit of brokenness! Love and hugs to you my dear friend! xo
Redeemed at the cross! Amen! I’m visiting from FMF where I’m in the 4 spot this week.
Amen, indeed! It’s good to see you, Tara. I hope to be able to stop by and read your post before the end of the week. 😊❤
“all I considered lost
broken beyond repair
is redeemed at the Cross
a gift beyond compare”
How true this is! Your whole poem is beautiful and your words remind us that God’s grace never ends and we can never be so far away that He can’t bring us back. We can feel so unworthy, but He loves us anyway and He makes us worthy.
Blessings, love and hugs to you, dear Joy! xoxo
Oh, Gayl, my poem may have reminded you of holy truth, but so has your response to it done the same thing for me! I especially love your closing words. It’s all too easy to discount ourselves as unworthy and unlovely when we compare who we are to others. Yet diminished as we might feel, God is always reminding us of just how precious and beloved we are to Him. Thank you so much for reaffirming His grace to me today. Blessings, love and hugs to you too, dear friend! xoxo 💜
Oh, Joy, I love how God does that! He uses us to encourage each other and it’s such a blessing! Love you! xoxo
“Powerful tools against discouragement, gratitude, prayer, praise” – yes, I so agree. And love for ourselves and others, turning thought toward the light more than the darkness. Thank you for this, Joy.
Deborah, I love your insightful contribution to the conversation here. It’s so important to have love for ourselves and others, because a failure in those areas can cause a great deal of stress. And it’s vital to turn our thoughts “toward the light more than the darkness”, especially when seasonal fluctuations can affect us emotionally too. Bless you for this. I always appreciate you stopping by! x 💜