Broken to Beautiful

When something breaks, what often comes to mind? Trash. It becomes useless in most people’s eyes. But let’s set that thought aside for a moment. Broken can be beautiful. Allow me to explain.

I use the word “broken” because Memorial Day isn’t a joyous occasion; it’s a bittersweet reunion of memories. Memorial Day is not like most holidays. It’s a solemn day dedicated to remembering fallen heroes. It is a day to honor those who are no longer with us because they gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives.

Memorial Day Reflection

This day is a memorial set up for reflection, pausing, and remembrance. It’s a broken moment that holds its own beauty, even if it is painful.

As we honor those whose lives were broken in service to others, we’re reminded that brokenness itself can become a pathway to something greater. The same God who transforms loss into legacy, sacrifice into salvation, also takes our personal struggles and shapes them into something beautiful. Since we are talking about memorials, let’s reflect on the story of a broken individual named Jacob.

A Troubled Life

Jacob’s life was fraught with trouble from the very beginning. He was born holding the heel of his twin brother, Esau. His name, derived from Hebrew, means “to follow, to be behind” but also “to supplant, circumvent, assail, overreach.” From the start, Jacob was in conflict.

He was a cheater who stole his brother’s birthright and deceived his father, Isaac, to receive the blessing meant for Esau. Jacob impersonated Esau to claim the blessing of the firstborn.

Yet, Jacob sought a blessing from God too. After wrestling with Him all night, Jacob declared, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” That night, God wrestled with Jacob and renamed him “Israel,” meaning “he fights with God” or “God fights.”

God said to Jacob: “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and men and prevailed” (Genesis 32:28).

Jacob’s life was a continuous struggle. He fought with his brother Esau, his father Isaac, his uncle Laban, and even God Himself. The new name provided a way for Jacob to see himself differently. God recognized Jacob for what he truly was—a fighter.

The New Greater Memorial

Yes, Jacob was flawed and deceitful. He fought with God and men, yet he prevailed because a greater plan required Jacob to reach a broken place within himself and transform. During his wrestling match with God, Jacob’s hip was dislocated, causing him to walk with a limp for the rest of his life.

God often chooses unlikely candidates to reflect His glory and carry out extraordinary purposes. Consider Moses, who struggled with speech yet became God’s spokesman to Pharaoh. Think of David, an adulterous king who was still called a man after God’s own heart. Or Paul, a persecutor of Christians who became the greatest missionary the church has ever known. Like Jacob, each carried their brokenness openly, yet God used them powerfully.

He selects those who seem too broken, too flawed. Jacob’s limp was a testament to the world that God’s chosen people are not without flaws or a troubled past. Jacob, the limper, demonstrated that God still pursues and uses broken individuals for His glory.

A Fresh, New Memorial

Has your life been broken and messy like Jacob’s? Have you faced tragedies, loss, abuse, or mistreatment? Today can be your new, extraordinary Memorial Day. Regardless of what you’ve been through, you can choose to establish a new memorial. A more incredible memorial that signifies a fresh start, a new way of living, and a remembrance of what God can do. The old ways can be left behind.

Jacob’s life was undeniably broken in many places, yet it pointed to a greater life that emerged from the brokenness. Pause, reflect, and remember. Your life can follow the same path, no matter your broken places. Your brokenness is beautiful.

From Broken to Beautiful

As we close this Memorial Day reflection, consider what new memorial you might establish in your own life. Perhaps it’s a moment of gratitude for the struggles that have shaped you or a decision to let God transform your deepest wounds into sources of strength. Take a moment now to sit quietly and remember—both the heroes who gave their lives for our freedom and the God who specializes in making broken things beautiful.