- A little girl came down the aisle in church last week nearly inconsolable, her entire face twisted with sadness. I stopped her and listened as she poured out her woe about being rejected by another little friend. Earth shattering? No, but heart breaking when you're eight years old.
- I sat with a father whose 16 year old daughter had just told him she was pregnant. We cried together because we both knew, far better than she did, how her choice was going to change her life forever. Some of his dreams for that daughter died that day.
- I held the hand of the aged widow as we stood beside her husband's body. She could not even cry, so profound was her sense of loss. All she could do was say his name, again and again.
- I listened to the anguish of a young husband whose marriage is dissolving and wondered how a man survives such rejection.
- Too many times to remember, I have been privileged to hear the confession of those whose sins have broken their hearts. The weight of guilt and/or shame breaks their heart. Unconfessed sin is a poison to the soul and a heart breaker without equal!
At one time or another, in differing situations, we all experience the pain of a broken heart. I know what a broken heart feels like, too. I know the ache that settles in the pit of the stomach, when food has no appeal, when spiritual worship is a sacrifice, not a delight, and I also know this promise of God:
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed." (Psalm 34:18, NLT)
Is your heart broken today, disciple?
Know that God cares and He understands even that sorrow that defies definition with words! He does not ask you to ignore your pain, nor does He try to cheer you with jokes or slogans like "The sun will shine again tomorrow!" He is our Comforter, One who listens when we cry and holds us together with hope.
And take care, too! A broken heart leaves us vulnerable to temptation. It is a short trip from broken to bitter! It is so easy to justify becoming full of rage and/or vengeful when the heart is filled with grief. Don't! In times of disappointment with people and situations, the Word urges us to something other than licking our wounds. God tells us to be proactive.
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:31-32, NLT)
David's heart was broken by his own faithlessness. When the sins of adultery and murder were uncovered by Nathan, the prophet, the king's heart was crushed. His prayer, more of a heart cry, is one of the most beautiful passages in all of the Bible. The 51st Psalm is raw, emotional, and full of hope. For the broken hearted, I take these words. May they bring us comfort and healing as we pray them.
"God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! ...
I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice."
(Psalm 51:9-12, 17, The Message)
________________________
If you've knelt beside the rubble
Of an aching broken heart.
When the things you gave
Your life to fell apart,
You're not the first to be acquainted
With sorrow grief or pain,
But the Master promised sunshine after rain.
Hold on my child,
Joy comes in the morning,
Weeping only lasts for the night.
Hold on my child,
Joy comes in the morning,
The darkest hour means
Dawn is just in sight.
To invest your seed of trust in God,
In mountains you can't move.
You have risked your life
On things you cannot prove.
But to give the things you cannot keep,
For what you can not lose,
Is the way to find
The joy God has for you.
Joy Comes in the Morning
William and Gloria Gaither© 1974 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management
CCLI License No. 810055
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