Heartbroken

Heartbroken

Dear Friends,

Many of you have known heartache.  We tend to use the term heartbroken today to describe the crushing grief, anguish or distress that we feel when we lose a loved one or suffer a failed relationship.  In fact, a broken heart may be brought on by any number of other things such as disappointment in a child’s lifestyle, loss of a cherished possession, loss of a job, even the loss of reputation. Whatever the cause, the pain of a broken heart can be enormous.

I did a Google search on “how to heal a broken heart” and the responses were many, varied, sometimes humorous and sometimes sad.  Write an angry letter and tear it up. Go on a shopping spree or get a makeover.  Drink… a lot.  Eat chocolate, make new friends and see a therapist were some suggestions.  Some advocated the power of positive thinking. The most common suggestion is to give it time. What I notice about these suggestions is that all they are doing is numbing or distracting from the pain.  (Some may even lead to future pain.)  However, the Bible tells us in Psalm 147:3 that we have access to a loving Heavenly Father and “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

While not the earliest Biblical record of heartbreak, Job’s life is certainly the most extensively explored.  In one day, Job lost his children, almost all worldly possessions, his health, and his means of livelihood. His response in Job 1:20-21 was, “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”   Job grieved his losses but he also worshiped God and remained faithful. Listen, Job had doubts about God’s goodness and why these terrible things happened to him.  But by remaining faithful to God, he grew closer to Him as God revealed Himself to Job through his trials.  Job learned that God is faithful and good and trustworthy.  He is with us in our heartbreak.

David, is described in the Bible as a man after God’s own heart.  Even so, he suffered many heartbreaking circumstances. Admittedly, most were the circumstances of his own sin but each time he recovered and was an even stronger man of God.  David wrote Psalm 34 during a very low time in his life.  He talks about overcoming heartache by calling on the Lord. He says in 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” David knew in 34:18 that “the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Finally, he expressed a confidence in the love of God that every believer should have in 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

I have sat with many hurting people who in their despair ask, “If God loves me so much how could He let this happen?”  Or, “God hates me, He doesn’t care about me!”  The sad truth is that most of the calamity in life is of our own doing.  If not ours personally than as a result of sin that entered into the world because of man’s rebellion against God.  However, even with that sober realization, we have the promise of God’s Word in Romans 8:32 which states, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” The writer of Hebrews was inspired by God to comfort believers with the promise that God “will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). The Apostle Paul knew that God is always near to comfort the believer so he wrote in 2 Cor. 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.”  

Throughout the Biblical record, God never failed to deliver when His people cried out to Him, and He will not fail the heartbroken Christian who cries out to Him today. He may not always answer exactly in the way we would like, but He always answers according to His perfect will and timing.  Sometimes, like Paul, we must remember that God is glorified in our weakness and His grace alone is sufficient to sustain us (2 Cor. 12:9).

Hurt is a part of this life.  Heartbreak is something that most if not all of us will encounter during our stay on this earth.  God promises those who trust in Him a freedom from hurt and pain when we are glorified with Him.  Rev. 21:4 promises, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  I hope you find joy in the promises of God.

Only by Grace!

Pastor Mike


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