Kintsugi or kintsukuroi is a Japanese art form meaning “golden joinery”. Broken ceramics are carefully mended by artisans who seal the cracks with lacquer and carefully dust them with gold powder. The repairs are visible — yet somehow beautiful, as breaks and repairs are treated as part of the object’s history. The Japanese believe the golden cracks make the pieces even more precious and valuable.
The art of Kintsugi is a great metaphor for life that teaches us that the most broken, challenging or painful parts of who we are can actually end up radiating light and beauty.
I’ve discovered that when I place the damaged pieces of who I am in God’s hands that He works like a Master artisan on my life. To do His work however it’s important for me to recognise when and where I am hurt or damaged by something or someone, and to allow myself to sit with that and to be vulnerable as I bring it to God to heal and mend.
When I look back on all that I have experienced I can at times still see some of the battle scars. As a result I could wish that everything in my life had been better and more perfect. However if I remain in that mindset I will overlook what God has done in and through me. I will miss the progress and only see my imperfections and not the persistence, growth and beauty that God has wrought from my broken pieces.
None of us are perfect or have, or will have a perfect life – yet when we bring our imperfections and the damaged parts of our life to Jesus He promises He can and will do something beautiful, as He mends and puts us back together again. Some experiences as the years go by, we will look for but won’t even be able to see their imprint on our lives anymore, whilst others will change us. But if we allow God to work within us and then could also get a glimpse of our hearts, we would see that there are golden filled cracks all over it.
“He has made everything beautiful in it’s time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Today be encouraged by the art of Kintsugi, and know that the parts of you with the greatest potential for beauty are also often filled with your hardest challenges. Yet in God’s loving hands these can become the most beautiful, unique and admirable parts of who you are.
Jesus said He will, “bestow a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Prayer: Lord please take all my broken pieces and hardest challenges and heal me. I’m believing that my greatest wounds, challenges and fears, will in your hands create something beautiful and amazing in me, as you work all things together for my good. In Jesus name Amen.