Oceans in the Desert

For The Brokenhearted
Kathi Pelton

“…He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to the prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1

I wish that I could properly tell you how many beautiful people surrounded me at times in my life that I was brokenhearted. I would not be where I am today if it was not for Jesus’ faithfulness in the midst of my pain or for sending those who loved and comforted me unconditionally.

“The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Psalm 37:14

During times when I was broken-hearted He never came and told me to change my thinking, to “do something to make me better” and he never made me feel as if I was less spiritual for being crushed in spirit. He just held me. He poured comfort over my broken heart and made sure that I knew that he was constant and present.

We come to these moments of experiencing a broken heart for many different reasons: the loss of someone we love, deep disappointment, and even sometimes our own sin or failure that has brought deep grief to us. Yet, no matter the source of our pain— Jesus comes with unconditional love, comfort and help.

In the seasons of my own personal grief— the sources have often varied; sometimes loss and sometimes my own failures— but what never has changed is that he has always come with the same love and comfort. He didn’t question the source of my broken heart (he already knew) and he didn’t limit his love or comfort based on if the pain came from my personal failings— he just came and loved me— right where I was.

I often wonder if many have become too “wise” in their own eyes to just stop and give love and comfort. I have watched those in the church all too often go to those with a broken heart with an agenda to fix them rather than comfort them. And yet, in my experience, that leaves the person in deeper pain and in more agony than before. In God’s wisdom, he comes to the brokenhearted with love that has no agenda except comfort and healing.

When we go to the one who is broken hearted with the unconditional love of Jesus— it often will do a deeper work then any “words of wisdom” or agenda to fix them ever will do. Love is the key that sets caprives and prisoners free. It releases the merciful love of God. Mercy is love.

When I was a new believer, it was the love of Jesus that was transforming me day by day— and healing my broken heart. About two years after my salvation I went to a Bible college and ministry that was well known but I would quickly discover that us was also very legalistic. I spent the next few years under the intensity of this teaching and loud voices that said, “You should do this and you should do that!” This harsh representation of Jesus halted the beautiful transformation that had been taking place the two years prior. Suddenly I was hearing that “I” needed to make myself change and if I didn’t it seemed to me, through their words, that they were saying the Father would be mad at me if I didn’t fix myself.

When I was newly saved God came and healed my broken heart, he liberated me from captivity and he opened my prison doors. But during the years of being shown “a different Jesus” and a Father that demanded performance, I found that I became a captive once again. This time I was a captive to my own weakness and a prisoner to a religious message that was anything but unconditional. Rather than mercy triumphing over judgement— the message seemed that judgment was being held above mercy. It took me many years to get free from that heavy yoke.

Of course God desires holiness and his character to be produced in our lives but his love rarely needs help to accomplish that. His love was making me hungry for his Word— religion made me afraid of it. His love was binding my wounds but legalism cut deep. His love was revealing his face but the law caused me to hide my face.

When you come across someone with a broken heart— just love! Love will comfort, heal and set them free.

I’m a “fixer” by nature so it is easy for me to want to go in and fix whatever is the source of what is hurting someone but I have had to learn (and still am learning) to just listen, love and often be silent. His love will speak what needs to be spoken to their hearts.

If you have a broke heart (or have had one) and someone brought a rod of correction rather than arms of love please know how sorry that I am for that experience. If you needed a friend but received a “correctional officer” instead— I am so very sorry. If you cried out for help and rather than receiving the oil of healing you received vinegar— I pray that right now the sweetness of his love will be like honey on your lips and wash way the bitter taste that it left.

Lastly, if you have lost someone and anyone has tried to tell you how to grieve or put limits on the time that you have to grieve— may our precious Comforter come to you now and make space for you to fully grieve and heal. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. Remember that he wept with Lazarus’ loved ones even when he knew that he was about to raise him back to life— that is how our precious Jesus is with us.

He came to heal the brokenhearted— let’s be like him and be healing to those who are hurting.

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