The other day, I knocked my tablet off a counter and cracked the screen. It’s not pretty. The same day, I was setting up at a hair jewelry party with a mirrored tray that I absolutely love….d. I bumped the table and it tumbled into the floor, shattering the mirror. Two items in one day. Shattered. One instant and it’s over and done. Even though it’s just “stuff,” I wanted to cry.

It’s symbolic, really. So many things in life can be shattered in an instant. A car wreck. A moment of distraction. An accident. A decision. A natural disaster. A snippet of news. Evidence of betrayal. A diagnosis. A stillbirth. A heart attack…

I could go on and on listing, but do you see yourself in that list? Have you had a time or times in your life when you watched a piece of you shatter? As you stood, feeling helpless, looking at the pieces, maybe you were tempted to feel angry or believe you were abandoned by God.

Maybe you were okay and it wasn’t until something else crashed down into pieces that you started to feel yourself cave. These things sometimes happen several at a time, and you can almost watch as experience after experience just chips away at your faith and composure before you begin to crumble. Maybe.

Maybe you’ve felt like Job and it seemed as if you were being stripped of all your blessings and happiness bit by bit like waves that just wouldn’t stop coming at you. Maybe you felt like you would drown in your sorrow and despair. Maybe the father of lies whispered to your soul.

If God loves you, why is He doing this to you?

If you were a good enough Christian, this wouldn’t have happened.

If you only spent more time in church… reading your bible… doing “Christian” things… you’d be able to handle this better, but face it – you’ll never be able to do it right.

You’ll never be enough.

You’ll never do enough.

You’ll never deserve better.

GET BEHIND US, SATAN.

When we are weary, weakened, and insecure, those lies from the deceiver seem to carry more weight. We are likely to be more susceptible to them, even if we know in our hearts they go against what God has said is true.

Challenge them. Challenge him. Like Jesus in the desert, respond to them with words from scripture.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

James 1:2-4 (NIV)

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

John 3:16 (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Seek God’s truth and choose to focus on it when you feel like you are crumbling. The truth is, He Loves You, and He has a plan for you.

What truths about God and His love have you found helpful when you are dealing with life-shattering experiences?