February 26, 2016

God Comforts Us

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

-- Psalm 34:18

Has anyone ever broken your heart? If you’re old enough to be reading this, the answer is probably yes. But there are many things that can cause a broken heart, not just the romantic love we immediately think about.

My mind goes this moment to a faithful couple who buried their son two months ago. The heartbreak will never go away. Oh, they’ll get better at living with it. But for as long as they live there will be a piece of them missing, gone home way too soon.

A dear friend copes daily with a son who has broken the law again and again. And, still, he refuses to accept responsibility for his actions. She is devastated, her heart in tatters as she struggles to understand how her sweet boy could have become this hard-core drunk and drug addict.

Another man struggles to forgive a former co-worker who told lies and tried to get him fired. The co-worker’s lies were revealed but not before the man and his family had suffered greatly as they lived under a cloud of suspicion.

What is your story? Have you ever been betrayed by someone you thought you could trust? Have you ever had someone blame you for their mistakes? Have you ever had someone ostracize you for something you didn’t do? Have you ever had a spouse betray you?

There are many ways to suffer a broken heart. There is only one way to recover -- by placing faith in God’s healing. Sometimes it just isn’t possible to forgive and forget on your own. Nor is it practical. People who break your heart aren’t safe anymore. It doesn’t mean you don’t love them. How can we help ourselves? It does mean watching what you say and maybe choosing to put distance between you and them.

My friend’s son is in jail right now. He may be there a while and that could be a good thing. She talks of going to see her family up north for a few weeks. She longs for a change of scenery, one where every moment doesn’t remind her of all that has happened. I think it’s a good idea.

Change can help us bring closure and healing. Our hearts are still broken but God is a masterful healer. He uses our heartbreak for good, even as He masterfully knits us back together again.