Restoring the Broken Places

I watched a TV programme which showed how carpets were originally made by hand in the old days. After factory machinery was invented to speed up the process, carpets were able to be woven at lightning speed. But I was surprised to see that a carpet made by a machine is not perfect. The finished product may look fine, but it has to go through a careful inspection process. The carpet is raised on an upright frame and a light is shone through it from the back. The light shines through any little gaps in the carpet, revealing where the machine has missed putting in some of the tufts.

A highly skilled and experienced lady then has the job of sewing every missing tuft in, one by one. Only then is it up to the standard required. As I watched her skilfully fill in all the holes to make the carpet complete, it made me think of how Our Lord Jesus works His healing into our lives.

I have many times experienced Jesus shining a light on my life by His Holy Spirit and exposing some hidden parts that were damaged and hurting, but which I was not aware of. It is good that He knows us better than we know ourselves, and that He also knows when the right time is for repairing and restoring us to His original design for us. ‘He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds’ (Psalm 147:3).

But, unlike a carpet, which is just an inanimate object, healing is not forced upon us. It requires our consent, and conscious choice. David said, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!’ (Psalm 139:23-24).

The places of pain within us are caused by neglect, loneliness, abuse, trauma, unfair accusations, and condemning judgments. All these things damage our human spirit. But our Lord Jesus lovingly heals, restores, and makes new, even putting in the parts which are missing. It could be a time when we are alone and we are allowing our emotions to be expressed in a healthy way, and praying to the Lord. Or it could be a time of having wise people alongside us to help us understand and process our past times of suffering. They act as the hands and feet of Jesus.

Who are they? They are very often the people who were once quite broken themselves and have been restored. ‘To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations’ (Isaiah 61:3-4, NLT).