We all remember times when we did something that we shouldn’t have, said something that hurt someone, or made a really bad decision. We try to set aside these broken pieces of the past, hiding from shame, regret, and guilt, because after all, that’s not who we are, or who we are supposed to be. We just had a momentary lapse in judgment, or maybe many lapses of judgment over a period of time. We carry these pieces around as reminders, ruminating on the guilt of what we did, and they prevent us from moving forward in certain areas of our lives. If people found out what we did, then how could people trust us or welcome us in, so we might as well avoid that path altogether.

Yet, what is the weight of carrying all those broken pieces around with us? And what can we do with them? We can’t change the past, and that’s not how we want people to think of us, so where do they belong?

Christian believers and non-believers often hide these pieces from God, even though we may understand that God already knows about them. It makes us feel safer and more comfortable if we ignore them. Maybe we don’t need God to address it since it’s already in the past? Yet when we ignore and hide them, we prevent our growth and ability to move forward, no longer walking in God’s plans for our lives. Some of us may even convince ourselves that it’s ok to limp along, settling for what is left after the break.

But God wants all the broken pieces! God is able to take those broken pieces, no matter how marred or mangled, and shape them into something good, something great. God wants us to hand them over willingly, so He can forgive, heal, and restore us, mending all the broken pieces into new purpose, new hope, and a fresh start. He knows about everything we have done already, so why are we still holding on to the broken pieces? Bring them to the One who can reshape them into a bright future. Let go of the hurt. Let go of the regret. Let go of the shame.