The Bruised Reed

I recently started a new book titled The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes, a puritan from 1577 whose writings were so valued that Spurgeon even wrote of him saying “he scatters pearls and diamonds with both hands.”

My husband recommended this book to me as I have begun to dwell in the anxieties of the upcoming steps in our adoption. I often worry about our children's safety, mourning our potential losses, and more so now reflecting on how to raise them properly. Being obsessively minded, I tend to see my failures and shortcomings, and repeat the phrase “good enough”. “Was that good enough?”, “Am I good enough?”. This has trickled into our adoption progress and my failings as a mother for both current and future have left me feeling panicked and discouraged, now I would refer to it as“bruised”.

Although I am only a few chapters in, it has brought me to tears many times and presents words true to not only a mother’s ear, but a Christians ear.

The book’s foundation sits in Isaiah 42:3

“A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.”

To be bruised is to be broken, weary, or worn down. As you can probably tell by my past posts, this entire adoption process has caused us to feel every emotion, but especially weariness. We have a lot of energy and thought going towards these embryos in our care, and that will be unceasing. What this book has highlighted for me was the importance of feeling this bruising and the emphasis that makes in sanctifying the believer.

“Hence we learn that we must not pass too harsh judgement upon ourselves or others when God exercises us with bruising upon bruising. There must be a conformity to our head, Christ, who 'was bruised for us' (Isa. 53:5) that we may know how much we are bound unto him.”-The Bruised Reed

This adoption is the most challenging and taxing thing we have done, and we are not even close to seeing the physical challenges yet, but Sibbes helps reassure us that when we are heavy laden, to go to our Prince of Peace. If we cannot rejoice in the world, let us rejoice in the Lord. His presence makes any condition comfortable. As he was bruised and because of that we can lean on him to bring us out of that weariness. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”- Matt 11:28

Another thing this book has reassured me of is the importance of having true trust in Gods grace. While it is good to have a maximal view of holiness and to honor The Lord in all we do, we often fail. Personally, I beat myself up over having wrong thoughts, actions, words, etc and instantly think of myself as a failure. And I am, I will never be worthy of Christ’s love on my own. Christ has given that when I do not deserve. He is merciful in his salvation and merciful to his children walking in daily life with Him. This is something I am trying to reflect on more often now.

“Let this support us when we feel ourselves bruised. Christ's way is first to wound, then to heal….If Christ be so merciful as not to break me, I will not break myself by despair, nor yield myself over to the roaring lion, Satan, to break me in pieces.” -The Bruised Reed, page 10

So even though these are things I already know, it is important to cling to these words, these verses, and Christ’s Word in the upcoming steps of the adoption. I am fearful I will fall into my own harmful pattern of turbulence and self deprivation, so I pray I can hold onto these truths and know even though things are hard, they are so worth it.

“Otherwise, in case of discouragement, we must consider ourselves as Christ does, who looks on us as those he intends to fit for himself. Christ values us by what we shall be, and by what we are elected unto. We call a little plant a tree, because it is growing up to be so.Who has despised the day of small things?' (Zech. 4:10). Christ would not have us despise little things.” -The Bruised Reed, page 17

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.”

-Psalm 34:18