As a small child, when a crayon broke, it didn't mean I got a new one. In fact, in our house, if all the crayons broke, that just meant you now had double the amount of crayons. That was because;
1. We didn't have extra money
2. Broken crayons still color.
Broken crayons serve the same purpose as whole crayons, to color.
In the different roles I have held, I've provided a lot of coaching and counseling. Two things I have repeatedly said to people experiencing troubles or feeling broken;
1. "You're not the only one"
2. "Your life still has a purpose."
Many people think that when they go through dark days (by their own doing or someone else's), no one else has experienced the troubles they are facing. They start believing they are uniquely cursed or bad. That line of thinking then leads to a darker second thought. People begin believing that they can never make a positive impact in other people's lives or be used by God again. Feeling uniquely cursed or bad causes one to think that they can never recover a true sense of purpose. They feel somewhat useless.
While I had counseled numerous people who felt that way, it wasn't until I journeyed through my own dark days that I realized how you can feel that broken. For a season in my life, I lost my sense of purpose, being hit by one traumatic event after another. My foundation of faith was violently shaken to the ground. But God’s grace, family, and friends helped me see that what I said all those years was indeed true: The Bible is story after story of God’s using broken people through His grace.
When you travel through dark days, you are not the only one who has or is going through difficult times. Many others have too. We all face troubles. We all make mistakes. At some point, we all feel useless and broken. You are not uniquely cursed or bad. You certainly have not outlived your purpose. While it may take time to work through your mistakes and discover (or rediscover) your purpose, you still have a purpose and can make an impact. Yes, some will make you feel like you can't be used again as they hold onto your past, but that doesn't mean you have to hold on to it. Through forgiveness and grace, your life has meaning, it has a purpose. Sometimes it’s a new purpose you never thought of previously. God can use the brokenness and scars you have experienced to impact others. You can be the one to help people who have traveled a road similar to yours. You can help others avoid that journey altogether.
No matter what you have done, what has happened to you, or what others may say, you still have a purpose. In fact, every day you draw breath, you have a purpose. That's why God gave you that day.
You’re not alone.
You still have a purpose.
Broken crayons still color.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
Isaiah 43:18-19