"As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart." -Proverb 25:20

       I know what it's like to have a broken heart. It's been said "you can't sing the blues until you've lived them." We'll I don't sing the blues but I sure could if I had a voice to sing, I'll tell you. There is a favorite Scripture of mine back in the Old Testament which reads...
 

God Draws Near to Those With a Broken Heart

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit" (Psalm 34:18).

God has been near to me most of my life because I often have a broken heart. That said, I thank God for the tormentuous times in my life. Unshakable faith comes from having our faith shaken. What a comforting truth to know that God draws near to those with broken hearts. You may not realize that God is near, but He certainly is. Just because you don't feel God's presence doesn't mean that He's not there. We must trust the heart of God when we cannot see the hand of God at work.
 

God Wants Us to Have a Broken Heart

Yes, God wants us to have a broken heart.  

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness" (James 4:8).

We are talking about two different types of broken hearts here: one that we choose to have, and then one that we have no control over. James 4:8 speaks of the type of broken heart that we choose to have. This is when we stop to consider all the lost sinners in this world who are headed for an eternal destruction in Hell if they don't get saved. This is when we consider the poor and less fortunate of this world. This is when we stop to pray for OTHERS who are having problems and hardships. 

The Bible teaches that the way to draw near to God is to "be afflicted." Turn off the TV and the radio, think about someone who is less fortunate than you as you approach the Lord in prayer, and then God says He'll draw nigh unto you also. What a Savior! God promises to meet us half way.
 

The Broken Heart God Doesn't Want Us to Have

The other type of broken heart is the one that comes upon us suddenly. This broken heart is when a loved one dies and is gone forever. This broken heart is when financial hardships force a family into bankruptcy or massive debt. This broken heart is when a marriage just doesn't seem to be working out. Everyone carries a heavy burden at times, some people all the time. Could you imagine being the parent of a quadriplegic child? 

Could you imagine having to care for that child your whole life? Many parents are doing just that. Could you imagine being paralyzed, stuck in a wheel chair all day for the rest of your life. I thought about Christopher Reeves often while he was alive. But you know, there's a lot of people just like him that receive little or no attention at all. Talk about a broken heart! We are so spoiled and blessed of God.

If your broken heart is because of something horrible that you did (a crime or something foolish you did), then you need to make it right with the person you hurt FIRST, then confess your sins to God. If you're wrong, you're wrong! Make it right!

"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matthew 5:23,24).

If your devastated and sad because of a death in the family, then you have every right to mourn. Don't you allow anyone to tell you that you've mourned long enough, you take as long as it takes. It may take a year or two for you to recover from your loss... that is perfectly acceptable. The healing process takes time. It's been said "Time heals all wounds." 

I have found this to be true. We all respond to tragedy different but the usual response is at first DENIAL.  We have a tendency to live in denial that something has actually happened (such as a death). We are in a state of shock for some time as we cannot believe what has happened. This may take a few months or even years. 

The next step in the healing process is to ACCEPT what has happened. This takes time, there are no shortcuts. We must be extremely patient and supportive of those who are going through this healing process. Some people are cruel and have little understanding. Once we have accepted the fact that we cannot do anything about spilt milk or water under the bridge, then we can truly begin to heal. That which does not defeat us can only make us stronger.
 

The Remedy for Any Broken Heart

God offers the first and the most important remedy for you to find healing through His son Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:1 declares that we have "peace" with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:14 declares that Jesus IS our peace, "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;"

NO Jesus, NO Peace

 KNOW Jesus, KNOW Peace

The healing found through Jesus mends your relationship with God and brings wholeness to your spirit, this process is often referred to as "Salvation." Once that relationship is mended you will find that God brings healing to the other areas of your life, emotional, physical and relational.

Perhaps you have a broken heart because of sin. Sin is the cause of almost every problem you will ever face in life. But there is a way to have victory over sin: even though we offend and abuse God by our thoughts and actions He offers us forgiveness in Jesus Christ. To experience this, you must be born again. It is God's greatest desire for you. Even if you think you have all your immediate problems solved, what good will it do in the long run, if you lose your own soul?
 

God Simple Plan of Salvation

How to be Saved

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." —1st Peter 5:7