For the Broken Hearted

Life is hard. Just regular day to day life and the traumatic and stressful life. A life full of loneliness and death leaving us even lonelier. For only being 22, I have experienced a lot of death in my life. When I was 14 (2007), my Great-Grandma died and that hit me kind of hard, but then a good friend of mine died and that hit me to the core. I’m pretty sure I went to three or four funerals that year. It was a hard year. Even though I thought that was the hardest year of my life, I was proven very wrong in 2011 when my Grandma died. It was one of the hardest times of my life. I think it hit me really hard because I was the one who told my dad that something was wrong. I remember the night so clearly. My dad called up there and as soon as he heard, he threw his phone on the ground with complete shock and terror that he had lost one of the most precious people in his life. My grandma was taken instantly by a heart attack. We weren’t expecting it, it just happened. God throws us curveballs, however much we believe we don’t deserve them. He guides us through those curveballs and brings out so much stronger on the other side. It seems literally like we’re walking through hell when we have to deal with these curveballs. Almost 5 years later and I can honestly say that my Grandma dying was one of the worst but best things to happen in my life. God spoke to me through the whole ordeal. He led me back to Himself because I had no one else to turn to. I believe the wound of losing people we love never completely heals, it just gets better as the years go by.

For those of you walking through the pain of losing someone close to you, the pain does get less and less strong. One of the greatest things about losing those we love, who know Christ as their Savior, is that we get to see them again. Can you imagine what it is going to be like to walk the streets of gold with Jesus and our loved ones? I can only imagine how wonderful it will be. Psalms 119:50 states, “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.” His promise is so big. Eternal life with Him, how amazing! Romans 8:18 states, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” It’s hard to get outside of our grieving and our own lives. He is our strength. He is our joy. The glory of Him is astounding and beautiful. Our present sufferings can make us stronger in Him. He is faithful, He will not leave you in your time of pain. There is pain but there is also hope and joy. The hard journey is always worth it.

Hillsong United says it so well in their new song Even When it Hurts.

Take this fainted heart
Take these tainted hands
Wash me in Your love
Come like grace again
Even when my strength is lost
I'll praise You
Even when I have no song
I'll praise You
Even when it's hard to find the words
Louder then I'll sing Your praise
I will only sing Your praise
I will only sing Your praise
I will only sing Your praise
Take this mountain weight
Take these ocean tears
Hold me through the trial
Come like hope again
Even when the fight seems lost
I'll praise You
Even when it hurts like hell
I'll praise You
Even when it makes no sense to sing
Louder then I'll sing Your praise
And my heart burns only for You
You are all You are all I want
And my soul waits only for You
And I will sing till the morning has come
Lord my heart burns only for You
You are all You are all I want
And my soul waits only for You
And I will sing till the miracle comes
Even when the morning comes
I'll praise You
Even when the fight is won
I'll praise You
Even when my time on earth is done
Louder then I'll sing your praise
I will only sing Your praise

Remember that no matter what we’re going through, God understands. Jesus suffered more than we could ever imagine, He suffered it all. As hard as it may be, praise Him through the storm. Praise Him because He suffered it all. Death is not the end because of Him. Death is defeated. Death has no power. It hurts, but it has no power because of Jesus. He loves you dearly. He won’t leave you. Trust in Him to help you through the difficult times. Nehemiah 9:10b, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”