Transformed: Relational Health -Day 6

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

Sticks and stones may break your bones… But words can break your heart.

 Broken bones heal...but it takes time. When my eight-year-old son broke his arm, we had to go to the doctor and get X-rays. Then, the bones were patched up and set in place. Next, came the plaster cast to hold everything together. Finally, it was time to go home. For the next few days there was quite a bit of pain, which required his mother and me to show compassion and care as we addressed all of his needs. He lost the full use of his arm for a month or so, but then he was back to playing, pitching a baseball, and climbing trees.

God’s process for healing a broken heart is a lot like healing a broken bone.

Pray. Come to God, and let him know that you are in pain. He will listen carefully. He will know exactly what to do.

 Listen. Give God a chance to look into your heart and life, just like an x-ray, and make his own assessment of what needs to take place. Trust him. He can read your charts much better then you can.

Rest. God will put his arms of love around you and hold everything that is broken together with the plaster of his kindness and strong compassion. He will comfort you with his promises and surround you with his people, the church, who will hold you up while you heal.

Trust. You might find that you are not fully functional for a while. There will be some pain. Share your hurts with others that you can trust— people in the body that understand and will nurse you back to health. But, just like healing a broken bone, you can’t do it alone.

Rejoice. One day, when the healing is done, you will laugh again and face life with hopefulness and joy. You can count on God. You have his word on it. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.“

Next Steps. Write down your answers to these questions. 

132. What did you hear?

133. What do you think?

134. What will you do?

135. Now talk to God...

Work Cited

Warren, R. (2014). Daily devotions: Transformed: How God Changes Us. Rancho Santa Margarita, CA: Saddleback Church.