The Beauty in Brokenness

What tumultuous times we live in! It’s safe to say we all have stories to tell—stories of life and loss, turmoil and triumph, setbacks and breakthroughs. The storms of life come in many forms, and few of us are left untouched. When these storms are especially severe, leaving us feeling shattered, it can be hard to trust that things will ever feel balanced or whole again.

But what if our brokenness wasn’t the end of the story?

The Japanese art of Kintsugi, meaning “golden joinery,” offers a breathtaking picture of restoration. When a cherished piece of pottery shatters, instead of discarding it, Kintsugi redeems it by carefully mending the fractures with lacquer mixed with powdered gold. The cracks are not hidden but instead highlighted, transforming the broken vessel into something even more beautiful and valuable than before.

At its heart, Kintsugi embraces a philosophy called wabi-sabi—the appreciation of imperfection and impermanence. It teaches that scars are not something to be ashamed of but rather a part of our story, marking the places where healing has made us stronger. Our wounds do not define us; they refine us.

What a stunning picture of redemption, healing, and recovery!

For those walking through trials, feeling as though life has fractured beyond repair, I pray you might experience the Master’s touch of Kintsugi wherever you need it most—and as often as you need it.

The Lord specializes in bringing beauty from ashes. He takes our broken pieces and makes them whole, not by erasing the scars, but by weaving them into His masterpiece of grace. As Isaiah 61:3 declares, God bestows “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

May you be reminded today that your brokenness is not beyond repair. You are being restored, piece by piece, into something even more beautiful than before—an oak of righteousness for the display of His splendor.