Picking Up The Pieces

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Psalm 51:17 ESV

Corrie ten Boom tells a story of a little girl who broke one of her mother’s demitasse cups. The little girl came to her mother sobbing, “Oh, Mama, I’m so sorry I broke your beautiful cup.”

The mother replied, “I know you’re sorry, and I forgive you. Now, don’t cry any more.” The mother then swept up the pieces of the broken cup and placed them in the trash can. But the little girl enjoyed the guilty feeling. She went to the trash can, picked out the pieces of the cup, brought them to her mother and sobbed, “Mother, I’m so sorry that I broke your pretty cup.”

This time her mother spoke firmly to her, “Take those pieces and put them back in the trash can. Don’t be silly enough to take them out again. I told you I forgave you, so don’t cry anymore, and don’t pick up the broken pieces anymore.”

Guilt is removed with confession and cleansing. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Since God has forgiven our sins and our guilt, don’t keep bringing them up!

Our Father and our God, thank You for continually forgiving my sins. Through the cleansing blood of Jesus, I know You see me as pure and saved. I praise You for Your unfathomable mercy and grace. Help me, O Lord, not to pick up the broken pieces of my life again but to leave them at the cross. Because of Christ. Amen.

Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).