GOD IS WORKING IN THE BROKENNESS
Kimberly Lawrence
Today's Scripture: “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” Revelation 21:5, ESV
Theme: God is already working – He is making all things new. This should give you hope for the future, though it has not come to pass yet.
A NOW AND FUTURE WORK
Life has a way of wearing us down. Struggles, whether through loss, disappointment, or seasons of waiting, can make us feel as if we are stuck in an endless cycle of pain. In those moments, it can be hard to imagine that anything good could come from the ashes. Revelation 21:5 reminds us that God, the One seated on the throne, is always at work, declaring: “I am making everything new” (Revelation 21:5, NIV).
Notice the present tense in this verse. “I am making.” This isn’t a promise for only a distant future in heaven. It’s the heartbeat of God’s work now…in the middle of our trials.
HOPELESS VERSUS HOPEFUL
I’ve been guilty of selfishly praying for resolutions to my problems and even my mild inconveniences. I want whatever-it-is over so I can skip to the blessing part. I’ve prayed for God to change my situation, to change other people, to change relationships, and to change outcomes. My inward focus at those times wouldn’t allow me to see the work God was doing while I was wallowing in self-pity. I was more focused on the hopelessness than on the hope.
One of the most difficult times of my life was when my mother was dying of cancer. I wanted healing. I wanted a miracle. I wanted God to SHOW UP! There was no miraculous healing. God didn’t “answer” my very specific and very self-focused prayer.
OR DID HE?
While I was lost in my own sorrow, God eventually told me to look around! What He showed me were blessings too numerous to name. I saw family and friends generously come to her bedside and tell stories I had never heard before of how she impacted their lives. I listened as people prayed with her and talked about their faith in a bold way. I watched people she had never met drop food off at the house for our entire family. I felt my heart burst with gratefulness as friends travelled from three states away to celebrate her life with me. I have created an impenetrable bond with my father and my sister in a way I couldn’t have predicted. Throughout my sorrow, God never stopped working. It was me who took my eyes off Him, momentarily.
Our struggles don’t surprise God, nor do they stop His hand. Instead, He uses them to work on us, planting seeds for growth and renewal.
Make It Personal: Has God worked during brokenness in your life? In grief, has He provided comfort and compassion from others? In weakness, has He strengthened your faith and helped you learn dependance on Him? In loss, has He cleared space for His new purpose?
We may only see fragments, but God sees the whole picture. The same voice that will one day wipe away every tear is already whispering hope into our present storms. His words are trustworthy and true. We should cling to them and to our hope in Him when everything else feels uncertain.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for always working on my behalf, even when I cannot see it. In the midst of my struggles, help me remember Your promise to make all things new. Transform my pain into purpose, my weakness into strength, and my tears into joy. I trust Your words as faithful and true. Amen.
Read: Lamentations 3:22-23; Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 5:10; James 1:2-4
Weekly Memory Verse: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” Revelation 22:20-21, ESV