The first time I learned about Kintsugi, I was captivated.
Kintsugi (golden joinery) is an ancient Japanese art form that was birthed from a philosophy that “…treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise”. Cherished pieces of pottery, porcelain, or ceramics have a story and value.
The process of Kintsugi increases the value of the broken piece by restoring it with gold dust and lacquer.
Sometimes life hurts and leaves us broken-hearted.
We live in an imperfect world and attempt to make it through life without scars. We rush to disguise our brokenness by highlighting our strengths, but we can’t cover up our weaknesses from God. In fact He invites us to bring our shortcomings to Him while He lovingly heals the most broken areas of our lives.
His touch restores us by his grace and makes us whole again. Psalm 147:3-4 tells us that “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.”
I have always been drawn to Kintsugi, perhaps because it reminds me of how cherished we are by God. How special and loved we are, even when…especially when…we find ourselves hurting, mourning or broken-hearted.
As we bring our burdens to God, we are able to process our circumstances through His eyes. If we allow Him, He will touch and heal us. He will lovingly bind up our wounds, and through the process, we will gradually be more like Him. That is beautiful.
As I was thinking about this, I had an interesting challenge. We were in the final days of a fundraiser at STAR, and I had rushed into the kitchen to wash my special coffee mug. It was handmade pottery with deep blues and earthy browns and a perfect rounded shape for holding a hot cup of coffee. It was given to me by my daughter many years ago.
As I rushed back to my office, it slipped out of my hand and crashed on the hard, ceramic tile floor! I gasped. My first thought was how sad my daughter would be. My second thought was, Kintsugi!
I can’t wait to lovingly restore my beautiful gift and will be praying God continues to teach me in the process about the great value He places on His children.
I pray He continues to teach me about the beauty of His healing and His touch in our lives.
I have much to learn, but I am so thankful to be on this journey. I invite you to join me in embracing His touch in broken places and the expectation of seeing the beauty of His restoration.
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Claudia Guardado-Wittel
Director of Philanthropy & Advancement, STAR 99.1
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Beautiful reminders!!!!! All treasures!!!! Thank You!!!!!
God is so good Edy! Thanks for the encouragement.
Thank you so much for this beautiful story. I really needed it today. I feel so broken in many ways and feel as though my life is a waste. I know Jesus as my savior and I am walking with Him. He is taking me on the journey of making me whole. It feels so slow and futile at times. Thank you again for this reminder and for the visual of your precious mug. Praying for Star 99.1 everyday and listen to you everyday as well.
Pamela, you are precious to HIM and those broken areas will be made whole and beautiful by His touch. Blessings to you!
Came when I needed it. Thank you. So inspirational.
Thank you Rose. I’m so thankful it inspired you.
Thank you so much for this wonderful article I have just recently beeen diagnosed with. Covid and your article inspires me to trust in God and his good grace and my faith to restore my health keep doing these articles 😌
Donna will be praying for you complete healing. Thank you for taking the time to reach out.
Thank you! Very uplifting and so true.
Thank you Dorina & blessings to you!
Thank you for this beautiful reminder of how God works with our brokenness and makes it beautiful in His Way. “Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning…” He is always at work to bring healing to all the broken and wounded places of our lives. May you continue to be healed and be a blessing.
Yes Marilyn – it’s throughout scripture! So encouraging that He is not done with us! Blessings to you.
Hallelujah thank you for this beautiful message. God bless you all
Blessings to you too Valbona! Thanks for the encouragement.
I loved this thoughts of broken pieces being restored. It reminds me of the things I am learning to create. I am learning to quilt, taking pieces of fabric and putting them together make something new that is functional and beautiful. I know that God has helped me through the loss of my husband and other family members. I have survived breast cancer, all the treatments and a problem with my knee replacement . I love to see the sunrise each day because God blessed me with another day. Yes, like your cup, we all are broken but God will put us back together in His way and time.
Amen Carol! I too love sunrises – because it reminds me that His promises are new every morning. And…Quilting is another form of “joining” – so good!
Amen! Awesome message!
Really touched me and needed to hear that scripture and your article.
God reaches out to us, so perfect and beautifully.
God bless.
God is so gracious to us Cynthia! Thank you for your encouragement. Blessings!
This really spoke to me today,Claudia, thank you so much for sharing. I struggle with covering up my weaknesses…but God uses all of it… the good and the bad to help us be His disciples. Especially our weaknesses, that we need Him and He can use it ALL. We’re more relatable in our weaknesses to others. Such a good reminder and thank you so much for sharing I’m gonna use this in my next yoga class!
He does use ALL of our experiences Cheryl! Thank you so much for your encouragement.
Wow! What an amazing story! I love the idea of Kintsugi and how God does that with each of us. Soooo beautiful and encouraging!
Amen Lori! So glad it encouraged you. Blessings!
Thank you for this inspiring article! I have needed to hear this recently and it really resonated with me. I am trying to let ALL of me be visible – my strengths and weaknesses alike- because we cannot hide anything from our loving Father. He has taken many of my broken pieces and put them back together in a way I would have never expected to be something beautiful and useful to offer to others with love and kindness. Your visual of the cherished and broken mug was extremely helpful as well. Thank you again.
Thank you for sharing Deb! He is truly a loving Father that will use ALL of us. Blessings!
Beautiful and so inspiring, my earlier days were shattered in many areas of my life, but I have learned to trust in God and will continuously trust him. I love this story of the broken vessel as we are all are at some point in our lives. Thank you for sharing and God bless
Yes Janet! He is trustworthy – thanks so much for reaching out. Blessings!
Once more – so true!!!! Even though I’d recently attended a “Micro Soring Cleaning” event, which encouraged us to toss out a lot of things (with expired dates), there are the special, sentimental things that we’ll always keep and treasure – especially ones that special people in our lives have given us – and, yes, we can gently repair those and put them back into service as reminders of how much we treasure those people! Thank you so much for these thoughts and your experience!!!
Hi Edy! Great point. I completely understand the need to simplify as well. (I am in the process of doing that at home). I am thankful for your encouragement!