“When your heart breaks it can grow back crooked. It grows back twisted and gnarled and hard.” – Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux
We all have hearts that are broken. They are broken from all sort of afflictions. Our hearts break from abuse, addiction, betrayal, strife, infidelity, disease or grief. So many things tear our hearts apart and break them. Our hearts are broken because our world is broken.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Rom. 5:12
In our brokenness, our flesh screams. Our flesh grieves. It mourns. It yearns. I know. I have lived in that place.
We all have a tragedy. And in the middle of it we are placed at a cross roads. We have choice. Will we let our heart grow back twisted and gnarled and hard? Or will we let the healer anoint us with tenderness, compassion, and joy?
Yes, we hurt. Yes, we grieve. Yes, we hunger for healing. Yet we live day after day avoiding the source of hope, the only promise for relief. He said:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted… Luke 4:18
When our hearts are broken they will mend regardless. But will they mend crooked or whole? The choice is ours. Will you accept the gift of Jesus who promises to heal your broken heart? Will you continue to live with your wounds open or you heart twisted? Or will you receive healing through the gift of grace?
For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Rom. 5:17
Today, I choose healing. Today, I invited Jesus to plunge his hand into my broken heart and do what he does best- heal. Heal me so that I continue to rejoice in you. Heal me so I can raise my children in joy. Heal me so that I can provide refuge to my husband. Heal me so that I can minister to other mommy’s whose hearts are broken too. Heal me Jesus. Just heal me.
