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Our Faults Vs. His Fixes

How God takes our brokenness and makes it beautiful

Jared Martinson

Nov 07, 2016

Bethel University-MN

Needtobreathe

"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

-Isaiah 43:19 NLT

I bring up this verse not to measure the destruction in our world, but to perceive more clearly the power that God has to transform it. We can go on and on about how crappy earth is right now. Death, sadness, violence and tears are all over TV screens. We acknowledge that our world needs change. Who brings about that change? The King. The One True God.

It's easy to talk about how we should fix our surroundings; you may even be inspired or encouraged in a spiritual way to make it happen. But nobody can have an influence on our planet more than the Lord can. And it is THROUGH US that the change will be visible. We are but the broken vessels, perpetrators of this dark wasteland that God has asked to help do His work even though we're part of the problem.

He delights in showing mercy. And I have a good feeling that characteristic won't disappear anytime soon. Be for Him and He'll live through you.

My prayer is for healing in this land by His hand. May we all step from our selfish ways to willingly make God the shepherd and us His flock, roaming on His behalf to create purity in a broken place.

--JM

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Our Faults Vs. His Fixes

How God takes our brokenness and makes it beautiful

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No matter how old you are.

1. Build a snowman

2. Start a snowball fight

3. Build a fort

4. Binge-watch Netflix

4. Look out the window

5. Grab coffee with a friend

6. Complete school or office work

7. Sleep

8. Read a book

9. Bake cookies

10. Drink hot cocoa

11. Go ice skating

12. Take a Walk

"I don't want to do things. I want to not do things."

1. When you look at the syllabus and realize there are only three weeks of the semester left; even though the first day was LITERALLY yesterday.

2. You look at your grades and realize they probably aren't as high as they should be, which is a terrifying realization.

3. When you think to yourself at night, "tomorrow, I will wake up early and go to the library ALL day, and, hell, maybe after I'll go to the gym for a little bit, just to push myself that extra mile."

4. Tomorrow actually comes. The inevitable and overpowering sense of procrastination is too strong to overcome.

5. But you DO end up going to the library. Not all day though, but still, a while. But no, you do not go to the gym. Still, you made an effort, so you decide to treat yo' self.

6. When you realize you need to schedule a meeting with your adviser because you need to sign up for classes next semester. But you also realize that since you waited until the last minute, you're going to get stuck with all of the crappy classes.

7. When you low-key try to slip into conversation with your professors that you need extra credit because you're that desperate.

8. When it's already the third time you've seen your adviser in two days because you have no damn clue what you're doing and need all the help you can get.

9. When you apply for a job associated with your major even though you have no experience, but you just want to dive headfirst into the deep end of adulthood and get it over with.

The world is not always sunshine and rainbows, and you do not have to be, either.

It would be so much easier to just pay someone to do it for you

1. Figuring out when to start

2. Searching through list after list to get everything you need

3. Shopping for deals

4. Getting bins to put everything in

5. Figuring what you can’t live without

6. Going through clothes to find what you need

7. Finding out your siblings took something from you

8. Fighting with your parents.

9. Trying to plan things with your roommate

10. The fear of forgetting something

11. Move in day

Relatable moments from one of the best shows I have ever watched.

1. When you fail that midterm you studied so hard for.

2. When your crush finally texts back.

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9. When someone asks for your last fry.

10. When you try a new health-food craze.

11. When you get new clothing.

12. When you check your bank account.

13. When they're serving good food in the dining hall.

14. When someone tries to tell you what to do.

15. Or just your thoughts about life in general.

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