When the Heart is Broken

 Our church family has suffered a couple of losses recently that have left us deeply shocked and profoundly saddened. To me personally, hearing about the unexpected passing of these two dearest members of our church have caused me to pause and reflect...hug my loved ones a little tighter and mourn.  

My first reaction was, however, to cry out in pain...

It was as if the loss of our church family members opened up the floodgates of all the hurt that has its clutches in our surroundings...reminding me of all the pain our world is experiencing in this day in age.  The loss reminded me that sometimes the brokenness is so immeasurable ... the struggles so tough ... the mountains so high ... the storm so strong ... the waters so deep ... the distance so extensive ... the heartache so acute that we wonder whether our heart will ever be whole again...and we wonder and wonder, and wonder some more whether there will be a day when we will be OK.

The thing is, when the heart is broken, nothing seems complete...instead, we see everything through the shattered pieces of what once was a beating rhythm filled with life.  

When the heart is broken, there's a void in the center...an empty space that echoes the memories and sounds of the one who held it together.

When the heart is broken, all the love that was contained spills to the ground, leaving us wondering whether it will be back in us again.

When the heart is broken, it hurts to think, and to smile is not even a possibility...not even a thought.

When the heart is broken the mind goes on strike, the body loses strength and there isn't much to make it worth it to get out of bed.

When the heart is broken, all seems lost...

But also, when the heart is broken, it is the beginning of a journey...a voyage to an unknown place that we've never been to before.

When the heart is broken, there's nothing left, but the promise of the One Who said He'd mend it.

When the heart is broken, the words that tell us to be still and trust linger.

When the heart is broken, our tears are collected in a jar and as we wonder, we begin to remember that He is the God with Us, the fourth person in the fire, the One to whom the winds and the waves obey, the Lord of the storm, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the One whose breath keep us alive...the One who raised from the grave.

When the heart is broken, we remember...there's no other place to go, but to the foot of the cross.