DEAR ALL
WE ALL CARRY CRACKS AND HIDDEN WOUNDS. REVD MARK’S DEVOTIONAL REMINDS US THAT GOD DOESN’T DISCARD OUR BROKENESS – HE MEETS US IN IT, AND THROUGH HIS GRACE, TRANSFORMS WEAKNESS INTO STRENGTH.
Morning all… Have you ever felt broken? Not just on the outside, but inside – in your heart, in your spirit, in the places no one else can see. Maybe life hasn’t gone the way you hoped. Maybe a mistake, a loss, or a harsh word has left cracks in your confidence. Sometimes the brokenness comes quietly, building up through disappointments and hurts until one day you realise you don’t feel whole anymore. I know I’ve been there. And in those moments, it can feel like being broken means being useless, like nothing good could ever come from the pieces. But God sees it differently. He doesn’t throw us away when we’re cracked or bruised. Instead, He leans in close. He gathers every piece, and in His hands, even the broken becomes beautiful. That’s why the apostle Paul could write these powerful words: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s grace meets us right where we feel the weakest. The very place you feel undone may be the very place His power shows up most. He doesn’t just fix us – He transforms us. What feels ruined can become a testimony of His love and His restoring touch. So, if you’re feeling broken today, bring it all to Him. Every crack, every tear, every hidden place of pain. In His hands, nothing is wasted.
LIFE CAN FEEL UNBEARABLY HEAVY WHEN WE TRY TO CARRY EVERYTHING ALONE. BUT GOD DESIGNED US TO WALK TOGETHER, SHARING THE WEIGHT AND REMINDING EACH OTHER OF HIS STRENGTH.
Morning all… Have you ever tried to carry something heavy on your own, only to feel your arms ache and your strength give out? Then the moment a friend grabs the other end, everything changes. The weight doesn’t vanish, but it feels lighter, easier, almost as if the struggle has been cut in half. What seemed exhausting on your own becomes manageable together. Life works the same way. Some burdens are too heavy for us to carry by ourselves. Worries about family, financial pressures, health struggles, or just the quiet weariness of trying to hold everything together – these can weigh us down. And yet, so often, we tell ourselves, “I should be able to handle this. I don’t want to bother anyone. I just need to be stronger.” But today, I want you to know, that’s not God’s design. Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:2: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.” God never intended us to walk through life alone. He places us in community, in friendship, so that we can lean on one another and remind each other of His goodness when our own strength feels small. Sometimes carrying another’s burden looks like listening without judgment. Sometimes it’s praying with them when they have no words left to pray. And sometimes it’s showing up, it’s being humble enough to let others do the same for us. Today, don’t be afraid to ask for help. That isn’t weakness, it’s obedience to God’s way of living. And be ready, too, to notice who around you might be struggling under the weight of their own load. When burdens are shared, they become bearable. And when love is practiced this way, Christ is seen in us.
Morning all… Have you ever looked around and thought, “What’s the point of all my effort?” Maybe you’ve poured yourself into work, family, or even faith, and it feels like the return is small compared to the energy spent. It’s the thing that can leave us feeling weary and discouraged. The prophet Haggai spoke to God’s people in a moment like that. They had returned from exile and were rebuilding their lives, but nothing seemed to be going as planned. In Haggai 2:4–5, God speaks to them: “But now be strong, Zerubbabel,” declares the Lord. “Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,” declares the Lord, “and work. For I am with you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.” God doesn’t deny that the work was hard or that their hands were tired. But He reminds them of the one thing that changes everything: “I am with you.” His presence was their strength. His Spirit was their guarantee. Their labour wasn’t in vain because God Himself was standing beside them. Today, I want you to remember this same promise, especially if you feel like your effort is too small or your energy is running out. God’s Spirit still remains with His people. He is with you in the long days, the quiet tears, and the unseen work. What matters isn’t how strong you feel, but the strength of the One who walks with you.
THERE ARE SEASONS WHEN JOY FEELS DISTANT AND BURDENS WEIGH HEAVY, YET EVEN THEN GOD INVITES US TO DISCOVER HIS GOODNESS IN THE MIDST OF OUR STRUGGLES.
Morning all… Sometimes the most profound songs of praise emerge from the hardest seasons. When life presses in and storms surround us, it can often feel impossible to lift our voices. Yet it’s precisely in those moments that God’s faithfulness shines brightest. Psalm 30:11–12 reminds us: “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praise and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” Recently, my granddaughter reminded me of the wonder of rainbows. When I asked her what she had been doing at nursery, she eagerly told me she had been painting them. Her delight was simple and pure, yet it carried a profound truth: rainbows never appear without the rain. The very storm that darkens the sky becomes the stage for something extraordinary. In the same way, God often transforms our trials into testimonies, using the struggles of life to display His grace, power, and love in ways we could never achieve on our own. The preacher Charles Spurgeon once said: “They who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls.” Hardship, sorrow, and challenge are never wasted in God’s hands. They refine our character, deepen our trust, and shape our praise into something authentic and beautiful. So today, whether you are walking through a storm or rejoicing in its aftermath, remember that your praise matters. Even in the valleys, God is at work. Even in the rain, His promises remain. And even when the world seems dark, the colours of His faithfulness can shine through, painting joy, hope, and worship across your heart.
Morning all… Have you ever been caught in the rain with a broken umbrella? You try to hold it together against the wind, but eventually you’re soaked. It’s only when we find proper shelter that we’re truly protected. For many of us, life can often feel like standing in a storm – pushed, pulled, and battered on every side. We do our best to hold things together clinging to our own strength, our own plans, our own timing. But eventually, our “umbrella” proves too fragile. We’re left weary, frustrated, and sometimes overwhelmed. That’s when Peter’s words speak directly to us: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6) Humility is choosing to step out from under the flimsy shelter of self-reliance and stand instead under the strong covering of God’s care. His hand is mighty – able to protect, sustain, and guide us through the fiercest downpour. The promise is this – in due time, not in the rush of our impatience but in the wisdom of His perfect timing, He will lift us up. Just as a storm eventually passes and skies clear, God will bring us through seasons of strain into His peace and purpose. So, if you feel like you’re holding together a broken umbrella today, stop struggling against the wind. Step under the shelter of His mighty hand. That’s where true safety and hope are found.
Morning all… As the evenings draw in and the days shorten, I’ve noticed how much earlier we switch on the lights at home. Darkness comes quickly, and we instinctively seek light to feel safe and steady. Spiritually, it’s the same: when life feels like it’s closing in, the light of God’s Word is what keeps us grounded, safe, and moving forward. The psalmist declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). God’s Word shines like a lamp in the dark, guiding us one step at a time. It doesn’t always show the whole road ahead, but it gives us enough clarity to walk faithfully in the present moment. When we allow Scripture to light our way, we find security even when uncertainty surrounds us. Just as we would never choose to stumble around a dark house without turning on a lamp, we shouldn’t try to walk through life without the steady glow of God’s truth. His Word doesn’t just inform us; it transforms our perspective, lifting our eyes from fear to faith, from confusion to confidence. Tonight, as darkness comes quickly outside, let’s be intentional about turning on the true light inside our hearts by opening the Word of God. His presence, through His Word, is what keeps us steady, safe, and moving forward, no matter how dark the season feels.
Revd Mark Spiers