Bruised? Broken? Be Encouraged!
I was reading this morning in Isaiah 42 and was reminded of a book written by a Puritan, Richard Sibbes, titled A bruised Reed and a Smoking Flax. I opened the book again and found this encouraging word from Sibbes.
"Let us not therefore be discouraged at the small beginnings of grace, but look on ourselves, as ‘elected to be blameless and without spot,’ Eph. 1:4. Let us only look on our imperfect beginning to enforce further strife to perfection, and to keep us in a low conceit. Otherwise, in case of discouragement, we must consider ourselves, as Christ doth, who looks on us as such as he intendeth to fit [build and shape] for himself. Christ valueth us by what we shall be, and by that we are elected unto (emphasis added). We call a little plant a tree, because it is growing up to be so. ‘Who is he that despiseth the day of little things?’ Zech. 4:10. Christ would not have us despise little things."[1]
Throughout the book Sibbes discusses the suffering experienced by all Christians who are by our nature described in the Bible as weak not strong, lesser not greater. For example, Christians are compared among animals as sheep, among plants as vines, among the group of humans as women (the weaker vessel), children, or slaves. No Christian had great beginnings, but all of us will have a great end.
When I drive by a construction site and see the frame carpenters on their ladders I do not think to myself, “Oh they’re building a frame.”, rather, I think they are building a house. We name things for what they will one day be not only by what we currently see, so it is with the Christian man or woman. Do not be discouraged at your slow start at the Christian walk or rebuilding your marriage. Please continue to take one step at a time. Always moving forward asking God, “How can I learn and grow from this situation?” Don't give up! Don’t give in. Even the disciples fell back and fled in fear (Mt. 26:56). You are a "bruised reed", like the rest of us flawed and frail Christians, keep seeing yourself in comparison to your Savior and no one else. Keep asking Him to keep His promise to you to be with you every step of the way. Learn to see your own growth, but more importantly learn to see your Savior's help along the journey.
Christians avoid using their weakness as an excuse not to obey. Resisting finding an excuse not to lead and love. God never commands what he does not also provide the strength and energy to fulfill. Christians resist justifying sin due to weakness, but rather see the sin is part of their growth in godliness, confess it and vow not to return again to a yoke of slavery (Gal. 5:1). Christians continue learning to walk in the calling to which we have been called (Eph 4:1) like the rest of us bruised reeds, one step at a time. Be encouraged.
[1]Richard Sibbes, The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes, ed. Alexander Balloch Grosart, vol. 1 (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson, 1862), 49.
