With the fragments of the broken hopes and joys

(J.R. Miller, "Help for the Day")

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

It is strange how many of earth's most beautiful lives, have grown up out of what seemed defeat and failure. Indeed, God seems to love to build spiritual loveliness out of the castaway fragments of lives, even out of sin's debris.

In a great cathedral there is said to be a window made by an apprentice out of the bits of stained glass which were thrown away as refuse and worthless, when the other windows were made — and this is the most beautiful window of all.

In the same way, God can build a noble character for you, in spite of all the hurts and injuries done to you, wittingly or unwittingly, by others — with the fragments of the broken hopes and joys, and the lost opportunities that lie strewn about your feet. No others by their worst work of hurt or marring, can prevent your building a beautiful character for yourself.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds!" Psalm 147:3

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