He Heals the Brokenhearted
The wind was whipping across the dock, chilling me to the bone. I might have been able to ignore the chill and let the warmth within me chase it away if I felt more secure about the situation surrounding me. Worrisome thoughts popped through my mind like kernels in a bag of microwave popcorn. What did this day hold? Would the relationship I cherished be as dear to the one I was meeting as it was to me? Would my heart break again, torn into pieces like the fragile petals of a flower blown by the wind?
When he arrived, I reached out with love but it was not returned. My practical side took over. Logic gave me reasons to understand this response and how to make it comfortable for the one I longed to see and those around me.
We had a brief time together over lunch but the air was charged with tension and defensiveness. When we parted, fear took the place of worry. Along with the popping thoughts came the arrows of anxiety to my heart.
My husband and I returned to our quiet hotel room. Tired from the journey and the stressful morning’s encounter with the one we came so far to see, he flipped on the television until he could fall asleep. I grabbed my Bible and the devotional I had brought along. In there, I found comfort for my grieving heart.
I looked for a piece that would speak to my pain, and I found the day on grief. Help me, Lord, I thought. This was not how I hoped this day would be.
Words from the devotional went straight to my hurting heart as I read them again and again and again. In them, the author wrote as if Jesus were speaking to me. He was saying that He knew my pain and that He felt my grief. He knew I had lost a treasure that day, one that was held deeply in my heart. But if I would open my hand that was grasping my heart, He would not only put the pieces back in place but He would restore it as well. I had peace for the evening. The next day, the Lord began to put some pieces together as He brought more warmth and love into that fragile relationship.
Tonight as I read over this devotional, I am reminded of how involved the Lord is with my life. How much He loves me. How deeply He desires to heal my broken heart. Oh, it’s not whole yet. There are still arrows of anxiety that spear my heart and a grief that overtakes my soul from time to time. But He has touched my heart again.
Are you grieving or do you feel forsaken? Find your rest in the Lord.
“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live…
“Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” Psalm 116: 1,2, and 7 NIV
The devotional I have been using and continuing to devour is “A Taste of Satisfaction” by Kay Harms. “Becoming satisfied with the Bread of Life.”
From My Heart to Yours,
Linking with Scripture and a Snapshot, Spiritual Sundays, The Sunday Community, Playdates with God, and Solio Deo Gloria
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Relationships can be so fragile to navigate. May God continue to give you His peace & strength & comfort as you cry out to Him. Thank you for sharing these thoughts. I was your neighbor at Spiritual Sundays.
Blessings,
Joanne
jviola~thank you for your compassion and encouragement.
Blessings,
Janis
May restoration be given and joy abound to you and yours!
Marty~Amen! I agree with that.
Blessings,
Janis
I love to be reminded that He hears us when we call. The rejection of love when offered is so so painful. But you have found the Healer. God bless you today.
Cheri~thank you for stopping by. I’m grateful that He does hear us when we call. It’s the waiting for the healing that takes faith and grace~only from Him.
Blessings,
Janis
Amen, Janis … He is our Healer! {And I love that our signatures are the exact same … just different names! Great minds …!}
Linda
Linda~He is!
Blessings,
Janis
Oh Janis, relationships can be so painful at times. When we love, we open our heart to hurt. But we keep on loving. How glad I am to read how the Lord comforted you at this time.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Debbie~Sometimes the road to keep on loving gets fraught with hurt, pain, and anger. By His grace, we keep on loving. He teaches us in so many ways, especially through others. Glad to have you here, friend.
Blessings,
Janis
As I was reading this, I was reminded of my on-again-off-again relationship with my prodigal son. Yes, the Lord is our comfort. (Jumping over from Jumping Tandem)
Oh what joy to see a loved one, even though they are not ready to respond to your love (as yet). I am so thankful that the story is not over and a new day is approaching.
Hazel~looking for the new day!
Blessings,
Janis
Your picture looks so peaceful. Jesus does know our pain; I’m glad you were able to find such comfort in His Words. May the Lord bless you as you seek to mend that relationship.
Jennifer~I look for the Lord’s wisdom and His direction in the healing of that relationship.
Blessings,
Janis
That sounds like a great devotional. I love how the Lord can use timeless truths to heal us in the moment. Reading again and again and again–been there, done that. And will be there again. Blessings.
Lisa~thank you for your insight. It is wonderful that His timeless truths reach into our circumstances at the exact moment they are needed.
Blessings,
Janis
Thank you for sharing your blessed story at “Tell Me a True Story.” God is at work behind the scenes.
Hazel~Because it is impossible to see God’s work behind the scenes, it’s hard to believe all will turn out well. But I know I must trust Him for faith is the substance of things hoped for. He is at work, Lord help me believe and trust more.
Blessings,
Janis
What a beautiful look into pain, and God’s heart for us to be whole… Visiting from SDG, Blessings!
Thank you for visiting Katharine and your words that “God’s heart for us (is) to be whole.”
Blessings,
Janis
Visiting from SDG link-up. I’m so thankful His name is Redeemer and Comforter. Thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you for your words that He will redeem relationships and bring comfort for that is who He is.
Blessings,
Janis
It is so hard to believe sometimes that He can restore and redeem all things because I get blinded by the brokenness. But then, I remember — He who spoke the world into creation can do things beyond my wildest dreams.
Jen~Thank you for opening my eyes to His Mighty power. I’ll trust in Him for the things He can do beyond my imagination.
Blessings,
Janis
Dear Janis
I am so sorry to hear of all the pain this strained relationship is causing you!? I know this hurts very much. But I think our Lord cherishes relationships even more than we do and I have experienced His healing and restoration in mighty ways once I started praying earnestly for a broken relationship I experienced. It is hard too keep on keeping on trusting Him to restore life to such brokenness, but He does His wonders in His way and time. Praying for you, dear one!
Much love XX
Mia
Mia~thank you for your sharing your experience of God restoring relationships. It puts flesh on His Word.
Blessings,
Janis
Happens, doesn’t it? I struggle sometimes when a son, daughter, grandkids, etc., that have walked into tough places, by their own choice, and I know much about reality from my background and the possible consequences that would have/could have ended my life IF the Lord had not broken in and through the doors/walls. We must lift these situations up to Him and trust HIM. Nothing else can possibly come to pass for a heavenly reality.
Thank you.
Caryjo~you understand exactly where I am and the conflict before me. I do want a heavenly reality for this situation so I continue to lift it up to the Lord. Thank you for stopping by.
Blessings,
Janis
Thank you for this post. I learn from you. You are a precious blessing.
Let’s remember:‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies.
Thank you Jedidja for the Scriptural reminder that it is by the Spirit alone that the battle and restoration occur.
Blessings,
Janis
All of your comments have brought such encouragement and peace, as some of you have even traveled the same road I am on now.
May the Lord bless each of you for your compassion and grace to share with me and be a blessing.
From My heart to yours,
Janis