Hope for the Brokenhearted

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18



Have you ever had a broken heart? Or a broken spirit? Whether it was broken due to a love lost or unrequited or because your spirit was crushed by harsh words or actions that made it hard to even love yourself, I know what it feels like and my heart aches with yours. When I read the above verse, I was so happy to know that when I was at my most broken or crushed, the Lord has a message for me. He is close. He saves.

The words of others. The tears I have cried. The withdrawing I have done to protect myself from more hurt. None of those things made it better. Pouring all of my words, hopes, dreams, hurts, loves, desires at the feet of the Lord did something. It gave me someone who would listen without advice or interruption. It gave me His peace. In Phillipians 4:6-7, Paul tells us, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experinece God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (NLT). If you've never sought God's peace, take time to do it. If your heart feels hardened, broken or overflowing, know that he's never promised us anything he won't deliver.

"Hear my cry, O God; give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against my enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings." (Psalm 61:1-4, NAS). Let the Lord be your refuge. Let Him hold you and comfort you. Our Father seeks relationship with us and loves us unconditionally. As much as we hide ourselves--our true selves--from others, there is no mask between Him and you. He sees you just as you are and loves you. He created you for something more than this moment and this right now. He knows this is a process and he's ready to grow you in and through it all...if you ask Him. If you seek Him.

I will leave you with one more piece of hope written in 1 John 5:14, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (NIV). This verse is key. Sometimes we ask for things that aren't right for us--you know, the "be careful what you wish for" theory--and then get angry when God doesn't deliver them. He said ask and you shall receive, right?! This is clarified with the statement here where it says "according to HIS will". God has a plan for each of us. How we get there is where our free will comes in. Does it matter if I live in Cleveland or San Diego to the Lord? Not if it allows me to live my purpose either way it won't. Sometimes, the answer is that it doesn't matter either way. If he has a real need for you to do something, it will happen. Think of all the people who were delayed from reaching the Towers the morning of 9/11/01. It wasn't a coincidence. Nothing is.