Sep22

A Broken Heart?

Posted on by
Standard

A Lucado moment:

Perhaps the wound is old.  A parent abused you.  A teacher slighted you.  A mate betrayed you. . . .  And you are angry.

Or perhaps the wound is fresh.  The friend who owes you money just drove by in a new car.  The boss who hired you with promises of promotions has forgotten how to pronounce your name. . . . And you are hurt.

Part of you is broken, and the other part is bitter.  Part of you wants to cry, and part of you wants to fight. . . . There is a fire burning in your heart.  It’s the fire of anger. . . .

And you are left with a decision.  “Do I put the fire out or heat it up?  Do I get over it or get even?  Do I release it or resent it?  Do I let my hurts heal, or do I let hurt turn into hate?”. . .

Unfaithfulness is wrong.  Revenge is bad.  But the worst part of all is that, without forgiveness, bitterness is all that is left.

~Max Lucado, The Applause of Heaven

A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire. ~Proverbs 15:1

The Lord hates what evil people do, but He loves those who do what is right. ~Proverbs 15:9

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled. ~Hebrews 12:15-16

Help me do what is pleasing in your sight, O God.  Give me wisdom to know how to respond, how to deal with many disappointments.  You bind up the wound of the broken-hearted.  Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed.

21 responses »

  3. nicely done Michelle..I did read this book by MAX some time ago..and have used it and “He still moves stones” with some of the girls I have worked with…

    I think my heart breaks more after knowing what I have been saved from, and how much HE has done for me…and then I choose to be disobedient..and know that HE has done everything for me, and that kind of heart breaking to me is the worst…

  4. Thank you, Robert and Angie. Bless you both! 🙂

    Good morning, Darla. I love Max Lucado. Months ago Nor sent me a devotional with excerpts from his books. It’s been a wonderful treasure. I love the way he writes…simple, yet profound.

    Yeah, that choosing to be disobedient, yeah…breaks my heart too. None of us is perfect. I’m so thankful for grace. 😉

  6. There is no way you could know how much I needed this today. Absolutely no way. This really spoke to a situation that I’m presently dealing with….

    “Part of you is broken, and the other part is bitter. Part of you wants to cry, and part of you wants to fight. . . . ”

    Yup, but I’m too tired. Why do people have to hurt eachother so?

  8. Amen, Darla…keep pondering…I am too.

    I’m so sorry, Debs. It does hurt and I don’t know why we do it to one another. I suppose we actually think we have rights. We don’t, only the opportunity to love as He has loved us…by laying down our lives for our friends. I’m praying, sweetie.

    And Heaven applauds…don’t you love that, Papa? A heavenly vision helps to keep us on track with how we are to love eachother. Amen.

  9. 1. Take two salt tablets and drive on. (From a former life).

    2. Forgive anyone who has unjustly slighted me, thank God FOR it (He is sovereign in it and means it for my good and His Glory), and seek His face until the power of His Spirit breaks through and sets me free. (How I should respond)

    I remember some years ago, when I knew who it was and I prayed earnestly:

    “Lord, I know you said vengance is yours, and I’m OK with that. But could let me be your instrument for this one?”

  10. It is difficult in the heat of the momemt to remember that we do not war against flesh and blood, but the principalities of the air *read Satan*

    I have just worked through an issue at work where I was extrememly disappointed, but God through Christ has shown me how to be: disappointed in the sovereignty of God. Before anyone gets bent out of shape, that is a little play on words that someday I hope to write about, but there is an invisible comma between disappointed and in.

    Thanks for the reminder – You

  11. Wise words, Dan. I’ve asked to be the instrument before…of course, I’m not too tough so I think it just made Him laugh!

    Hey, Phat!!! Do write about it. You have an incredible amount of wisdom we could all benefit from hearing. Love you – Me.

  12. This being the first day of fall, I was already thinking about this text from Jer 8:20-22 that I thinks really fits this post:
    ” ‘ The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone,’ the people cry, ‘yet we are not saved!’
    I weep for the hurt of my people. I am stunned and silent, mute with grief. Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people? “NLT

    The hurts definitely have to be given to God (He’s actually the One doing the ‘hurting’ here in these verses — like Dan mentioned), but Jeremiah’s response is GRIEF over them, whether it be the evils committed by people toward one another, or the judgments God brings because of those injustices.

    I think a while back there were comments made on ‘Love’s’ blog regarding anger. Someone had said the quicker ‘anger’ over being hurt turns to ‘grief’, the faster the progression toward healing (at least WITHIN the person who was hurt).

    We do need to grieve over what grieves God’s heart, yet entrust it to Him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23), always ready to extend forgiveness if/when given the opportunity.

    Yes, definitely ‘easier said than done’ and actually impossible in our own strength (Mt. 19:26) !

    D-

  13. I agree, Laz.

    From my own experience, I’ve learned the quicker I grieve over any hurtful situation, the quicker I gain understanding and seek forgiveness, whether I was wounded or I did the wounding.

    We can safely leave all grievances in His hands to judge justly. He sees all and knows all and is able to “dish out” all that is deserved. And yes, that truth grieves me as well.

    In His time.

    I’ve missed seeing you here, Laz, hope all is well with you! 😉

  14. Sometimes keeping my mouth shut long enough to get past the anger is the hardest part. 🙂

    Betrayal sure can have some very deep and long lasting effects on us. It often seems the betrayer gets off free and clear, and has no guilt or awareness (or concern) of the hurts they caused. That can be really hard to deal with.

    Forgiveness is hard, but oh, so important. Sometimes we have to ask God to help us even to be willing to forgive. He is faithful…. even when people aren’t.

  15. “Betrayal sure can have some very deep and long lasting effects on us. ”

    It sure can, Heidi. I think asking God is the first step toward getting unforgiveness reconciled. He already knows when I don’t want to, I just have to remember it’s OK to admit it.

    His faithfulness…always our best model. Love you!

  18. this is so good! i’m a huge lucado fan, but haven’t read his most recent few books… i need to because he always speaks right to my situation and heart.

    as you just did as well!

Leave a comment