There is so much I don’t know about God. So much I don’t understand about this life and the dark world that we live in. At times, I see the heartache of those around me and the general suffering of children in our world and I wonder why can’t things be different? Why don’t happy endings exist for so many, and why do the innocent suffer at the hands of the evil? Why are the days of the godly cut short while the wicked live in abundance and enjoy old age?
And then I remember. We live in a broken world because of sin. When sin entered the picture, it destroyed the perfection that God created for us to live in. We weren’t meant to feel pain or to suffer. That was never Gods original plan for us. We were meant to live with God, free from torment or pain of any kind.
Pain and suffering bring brokenness. So many of us are walking around with a broken heart. Whether it be because of trauma from childhood wounds, or circumstances in our adult years that destroyed our hopes and dreams, or perhaps both. We are all broken hearted about something.
But there is a beautiful scripture tucked away in Psalms:
The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
The Israelites, God’s pride and joy, had been exiled from their home because of their constant disobedience and refusal to stop their idol worship. Their precious temple had been destroyed and all of its treasures carried off to Babylon. Their hopes and dreams for their children had been destroyed. Most of them lost their homes, vineyards, lands and were sent to live under the oppression of other nations.
But we see this beautiful promise here to remind us of God’s faithfulness: He heals the broken-hearted, He binds their wounds. Notice that He himself does it. He doesn’t send someone else to tend to wounds. No, He does it. That’s how much He cares.
I don’t know what you have lost recently, or what awful situation you might be facing, but know this: God will heal your broken heart. That’s one thing you don’t have to live with. You may not be able to change the situation, but God wants to touch your heart so it doesn’t feel like you’re living with a huge hole in it.
I don’t know how He does it, but the Great Shepherd of our souls is gentle and kind to our hearts when we allow Him access. He takes such care to protect, nurture and heal those abused parts that we don’t allow anyone access to. We can trust Him.
I have been sensing that many of you are struggling with understanding why God has allowed certain things to happen in your life. I cannot answer the why, but I can tell you that His arms are outstretched to you and I feel He longs to wrap you up and heal your heart. He longs to breathe life into those dead parts of you. He wants to be your Great Shepherd.
