Broken, Bent And Battered

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Posted by Erin Roberson, April 26, 2023

There is a pear tree in our neighbor’s yard that just looks pitiful! When I look at it, I think of three words - broken, bent, and battered.

You know what’s really amazing about this sad-looking tree? It continues to produce pears each year!

I’m wondering if you ever feel like that tree? Have the storms of life torn away some of your limbs? Maybe it’s the loss of a job, perhaps there have been broken relationships, or financial struggles may be causing constant stress.

Are you feeling beaten and battered by a serious illness, a challenging situation in your family, a difficult work environment, or even by your church?

Have you lost a limb because of an unexpected death, a child who is no longer connected to the family, the loss of something that was an important part of your life, or an estranged friendship?

Guess what! Jesus heals broken, bent, and battered people and works through them to accomplish His plans. If you think others see you as useless and dead (or even if you feel that way yourself), Jesus can restore you to wholeness, and He can use you to produce good fruit.

I’m reminded of the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. You probably know the story recorded in John 4. Jesus was traveling with his disciples through Samaria. He stopped at a well in a small town called Sychar. A Samaritan woman arrived at the well. She was definitely broken, bent, and battered.

First, she was coming to the well by herself in the heat of the day, which indicates that she was an outcast. She had been married five times and was living with a man who was not her husband. None of these things prevented Jesus from inviting this woman into a relationship with Him. He offered her “living water” and eternal life. Not only did she receive a new, abundant life, but she also told others about Jesus and “many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony” (John 4:39).

If you are feeling like that broken, bent, and battered pear tree, take heart! It doesn’t matter if your wounds were caused by your own choices, if they are due to someone else’s mistakes, or if life’s storms have left you looking tattered. You can experience a beautiful journey of healing through Jesus.

The things that have happened to you don’t have to be your identity. Believe who God says you are.

Through Jesus, you can be…

Child of God (John 1:12)

Chosen (John 15:16, 1 Peter 2:9)

Made in God’s Image (Genesis 1:27)

Known by God (Jeremiah 1:5)

Loved (Galatians 2:20)

Jesus’ Friend (John 15:15)

God’s Handiwork (Ephesians 2:10)

Citizen of Heaven (Philippians 3:20, 1 Timothy 1:7)

Raised in Christ (Colossians 3:1-4)

Conqueror (Romans 8:37)

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (Psalm 139:14)

New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Check out this amazing song…

My Jesus

Erin Roberson is a wife and mother of two wonderful grown boys. She is a lifelong educator who loves learning and teaching others. She believes our primary focus should be on our relationship with God, learning who God is, who God says we are, and how God wants us to live.