Clumsy me! I dropped my powder foundation while getting ready this morning, and it broke into umpteen jillion pieces in the bathroom sink. As I salvaged the few crumbs that remained in the compact and finished applying my makeup, the thought occurred to me: Even the broken pieces are useful. Now, that’s a lesson I wish I’d learned sooner in life!

Have you ever felt broken, useless? Have you ever felt like all the odds were against you, and maybe God had just forgotten about you because he’s too busy keeping planets in orbit to deal with your mess of a life?

I remember one such moment very clearly: I was sitting alone in my dead car on the side of a dark country road, with smoke billowing out from under the hood, yelling aloud at God. I had nearly driven into the ditch when the engine seized and I lost power steering; I sat there shaking with a weird combination of fear, relief and anger. God knew that we couldn’t afford a car payment. Why would he leave me in such a bind?

Surely you’ve heard the cliché, “God will never give you more than you can handle.” Well, I say hogwash to that notion. I haven’t found a Bible verse yet that supports such a statement. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (and that he always provides a way out). The oft-quoted Philippians 4:13 says that we “can do all things” through Christ’s strength (referring to life’s struggles, in context), but I don’t think any Scripture says that God will refrain from throwing curveballs that make us strike out now and then. God most certainly does give us more than we can handle on our own, because then we have no choice but to rely on him!

Why would we need faith, if we could solve all of our own problems, breeze through life unhindered and never make stupid decisions – like buying lemon cars? It is in our brokenness that we are finally ready (because, if you’re anything like me, God has probably been trying to give you subtle hints for a while that you keep ignoring) to listen to him … finally ready to receive his generous blessing.

Paul knew about waiting for God’s blessings, despite life’s trials. In 2 Corinthians 8, he commended a local church for their generosity in the midst of their own “extreme poverty.” Who am I to whine about broken makeup or a broken car when the Creator of the Universe has healed my brokenness already from the inside-out? God has been abundantly generous, and he calls us to do the same.