The Beauty of Brokenness - Encouragement for Today - September 30, 2026
Encouragement for Today
Audio By Carbonatix
Crosswalk.com
September 30, 2026
The Beauty of Brokenness
Stasi Eldredge
Author of The Ladder of Love
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7, NIV).
I gave my life to Jesus at a youth group meeting when I was 13 years old. Passionate for Christ, I was filled with zeal.
But soon after my conversion, the youth group ended and the life-giving community I was a part of disbanded. A young believer, left alone, I quickly reverted back into a lifestyle of assuaging my pain through drug use. I continued on that destructive road for the next eight years.
And then I was reclaimed by the God who had never let me go. Hurting and desperate, I returned to Jesus, and the beauty of His grace intervened on my behalf.
My heart had been shattered and needed tending. Jesus has tended to it — slowly, graciously, lovingly, powerfully. He came for me, and He continues to. He is continuing to come for you as well, dear one! Jesus has come to heal our broken hearts, and He is so very good at it.
If we shatter in the furnace of life, if we break, our God is a skilled craftsman who puts us back together in such a way that the recreated, redeemed beauty is more exquisite than we could imagine.
You may be familiar with kintsugi, the Japanese art form through which pottery receives a second life. Pottery that has been broken is “born again” by a skilled artisan who uses lacquer to join the pieces together, then paints the healed fractures with gold. The gold doesn’t hide the imperfections but highlights them, honoring the journey the pottery has taken. Its history, not hidden but lovingly embraced, allows it to become even more lovely in its healing.
A fitting metaphor for us all. We are the battered pottery, our healed hearts the treasured work. I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:7, which says:
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
The fissures that we continue to bear have become golden kintsugi scars that point to our Creator. As believers, we house the Holy Spirit, and the light of His presence slips through the cracks. His love pours through the multitude of large and small lines that etch our souls. Broken yet beautiful, we bear testimony to the miracle of grace as our wounds become healed, our scars become beacons, and the pieces of our lives are transformed into a story of redemption.
This is the beauty of brokenness.
Dear Jesus, thank You that You have come for me and that You continue to. I am so deeply thankful. I yield to Your work in my life as You craft beauty from brokenness. In Jesus' name, amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
To dive further in, pick up a copy of Stasi’s new book, The Ladder of Love: A Pathway to Emotional Healing and Spiritual Intimacy with Jesus, which will be released on October 6! It’s part scriptural tour, part therapy, and part prayerful life of the mystic saints. It is also a revelation — for as we come to know God better, we also come to know ourselves better, and our core identity is forever changed.
ENGAGE
For more, come join Stasi on her podcast, Captivated! You can also connect with Stasi on Facebook, at Instagram, and through the ministry she co-founded with her husband, John, Wild at Heart.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of The Ladder of Love by Stasi Eldredge. To celebrate this book, Stasi’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, October 5, 2026.}
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (NIV).
Psalm 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (NIV).
Do you feel like you are more broken than beautiful? You are not alone. Spend some time in prayer, and pour out your heart to God. Ask Him how He sees you. I know you will be deeply encouraged by His answer.
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2026 by Stasi Eldredge. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
