February 20, 2026
In His Hands: Bent Nails and Weathered Boards
CATHERINE DAWES, COMPEL Pro Member
Lee en español
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
An older church member once told me, “I never pass an old barn without seeing its potential. The weathered boards, even the bent nails, can be reused to make something new.”
His words pulled me back to a day from my childhood, standing beside my grandfather as we tore down an old chicken coop. He pulled rusty nails from the gray boards and placed them in my hands. My job was to straighten each nail against a stone. When I asked why, he said, “Because we can use them again. They still have life in them.”
That day also planted a deeper spiritual understanding in my heart: The world may see something old, bent, or weathered as useless. But God doesn’t.
Scripture tells us “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). That means nothing in our lives is wasted — not the rusty seasons, not the splintered boards, not even the bent nails.
I’ve had seasons when I felt like a pile of discarded wood … splintered by loss, warped by worry, and wondering if I’d ever be useful again. Ministry felt heavy. Creativity dried up. Even prayer felt like tapping on a closed door. But God didn’t discard me. He met me in the rubble and reminded me I was still in His hands.
Maybe you’ve felt that way, too, bent under the weight of grief and weathered by disappointment, questioning if you may be too worn down to be useful. But God’s hands are steady, and His plans are sure. In His hands, bent nails can be straightened, weathered wood can be restored, and broken lives can be made into something new.
Friend, you are not discarded. You are not beyond repair. You are God’s handiwork, and He sees the beauty and purpose in you even when you can’t. Trust Him to reshape what feels bent, restore what feels worn, and build something beautiful with your life.
If today feels like a demolition site, if your heart is tired and your hope seems rusted, remember this: Even bent nails still have life in them. And in the hands of the Carpenter, nothing is wasted.
Lord, I praise You for being the Carpenter who never wastes a single piece of my life. Take what feels bent and weathered in me, restore what’s worn, and shape it all for Your good work. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
If today’s devotion reminded you of how much God’s Truth can steady your heart, you’re not alone. Every day, women are quietly searching for that same kind of clarity and comfort — especially in moments that feel heavy, confusing, or unexpected.That’s why Therapy & Theology is so important. It offers a place for women to work through what they’re walking through with biblical wisdom they can trust. One listener recently shared that the podcast became “a lifeline” when she felt like she was drowning — not because it offered quick answers but because it gently pointed her back to what was true. Your generosity helps make that kind of hope possible. You can give today to help ensure the next woman searching for guidance finds steady, compassionate, Scripture-rooted Truth waiting for her.
ENGAGE
Today’s devotion was written by a COMPEL Pro member who won our annual Encouragement for Today Devotion Writing Challenge. COMPEL Pro equips Christian writers to make an impact through their words and connect with a supportive community. Click here for more information on joining COMPEL Pro and taking your writing journey to the next level.
FOR DEEPER STUDY
2 Corinthians 4:7-10, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (NIV).
How have you seen God redeem something in your past that felt beyond repair? We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2026 by Catherine Dawes. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/YakubovAlim
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
