I’ve often thought of marriage as an eagle with the husband and the wife each serving as a wing to one body. When both wings work together, they serve to elevate the body and propel it in an upward direction. This enables the eagle to soar and glide beautifully, allowing all who see it to marvel at its splendor. This balance is a beautiful reflection of Christ and His Church.
But what happens when one wing is damaged and no longer elevating the body? You can imagine, the eagle becomes unbalanced and can no longer soar as it was designed to do by our Creator. The same impact is seen in marriage.
Several years ago, my marriage suffered a broken wing.
It was a devastating blow that left our family heartbroken. I didn’t know what to do but cried out to God daily. I just knew He would fix it. As the dynamic in our home changed, I felt God pulling me closer to Him. I found my comfort and strength as I soaked in His Word daily. Life was falling apart all around me, but He was steady.
The next three years were spent growing closer in my relationship with God, knowing He was the only sure foundation on which I could withstand this storm of life. I eventually felt peace as God released me, telling me it was ok to let go through His Word.
God spent those years working on MY heart, growing my trust and dependence on Him.
He revealed the truth of my situation in bite sized pieces that I could process without being overwhelmed, all so I could be led out of my Egypt into the promise He planned for me.
I found my strength in who God was and what He said about my own identity in Christ. He took the time to meet me where I was, cradle my hurting heart, and assure me that even when man would fail me, He Himself would forever remain faithful. I was never alone and my heart was in the hands of our Creator.
My broken wing grounded me in order to reveal the source of my strength.
During one of our quiet times, God prompted me to research the healing process of a broken wing. A caretaker will gently wrap the injured wing securely to the bird’s body to allow it time to heal. This act alone requires an incredible amount of trust and cooperation from the bird. Once the wing is wrapped, the injured bird will inevitably fall over as it is now unbalanced, but must learn to get back up again. The caretaker is present to provide support as the injured bird regains its sense of balance and equilibrium, but this is a process the bird must struggle through.
The caretaker is watchful when the unbalanced bird attempts to drink. If it falls into water, the bird could drown without use of the broken wing. The bird will flop and flail as it attempts to save itself with only one wing but ultimately, it’s the hand of the caretaker that lifts the injured bird preventing it from drowning when in too deep.
God’s method of mending our broken hearts is much the same.
He binds our wounds, provides love and support under the shelter of His mighty wing as we learn to balance in our newly broken state. He rescues us from drowning when we fall in over our heads. The more time we spend in His presence and trust Him as our caretaker, the more our healing progresses.
Friend, if you are nurturing a broken wing I understand how unbalanced life can feel.
I understand how the pain and struggle can make you feel like you are constantly on shaky ground making it hard to stand up again, let alone walk. I know what it’s like to fall into the water and need His hand to lift you out.
But I also know the peace and relief that surrounds our being when He does. I have felt that overwhelming wash of relief from our Heavenly Father and knew in that moment, my broken wing was going to heal and I would soar again as He wrapped my brokenness in His love. I wish the same for you.
If your heart is broken, cry out to God. He is the healer of hearts and the mender of things broken. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 NIV
Our greatest heartbreak can be the source of our greatest spiritual growth.
When we turn to God in the midst of difficult circumstances, He invites us to know Him in a new way. He will use our brokenness as an opportunity to glorify Him as we are strengthened in ways only He can do. I wish I could tell you God saved my marriage. However, He did much more than that. He saved my soul and secured my future as I learned to depend on Him alone.
Although we will always bear the scars of our battles, I pray they serve as reminders that point us back to God as the source of all strength.
But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Heather Jeffery is a Christian writer, mom, and full-time physical therapist. Her blog, Straighten Your Crown, is a place to find encouragement grounded in Biblical truth to navigate the challenging circumstances we encounter in a broken world. The title was given to her several years ago when God rescued her from a pit of intense grief and disappointment. Heather writes to share this same hope with others who are walking through difficult circumstances and defeat with the goal of redirecting focus from our circumstances onto God’s promises. She is very passionate about empowering women with truth and inspiring others to share their story. Heather lives in Maryland with her two daughters and loves spending time outdoors, preferably by the water.
You can receive truth filled encouragement by subscribing to her blog at www.straightenyourcrown.net, and follow her writing on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook.