Broken Sandals

By:  Betty Predmore

I bought my daughter a new pair of sandals last week. Her feet are growing so fast, I can’t keep up with her. She was pretty glad to have those cute new sandals and has been wearing them almost every day.

My husband got a call from school yesterday that she needed a pair of shoes. Apparently, she has broken one of her new sandals while playing tether ball on the playground. Just like that…in an instant….her pretty new sandals were broken.

Isn’t that the way life is? We can be walking along our journey, enjoying life for the most part, when suddenly our strap breaks. Something happens and in an instant, we are broken. We question why. We mourn. We wonder if we could have done something different. Sometimes, what is broken can be mended. Other times, what is broken can never be repaired.

The key is to not lose hope in the times of brokenness. That sandal may get tossed into the garbage, but our lives, our hopes and dreams, do not have to be. We have a God, a marvelous and glorious God, who walks alongside us in our times of despair. He takes our broken pieces and puts them back together. He calms the storms in our hearts, and parts the clouds in our minds.

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

My husband delivered new shoes to my daughter. He fixed her problem like a good father does. God will be there to see you through, like a good Father does. When those moments come, in that instant of brokenness, cling to God. He will never leave you.