Trusting God Through Brokenheartedness

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My life makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble and afflicted hear and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

I sought (inquired of) the Lord and required Him [of necessity and on the authority of His Word], and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.  They looked to Him and were radiant; their faces shall never blush for shame or be confused.” 

(Psalm 34:1-5, AMP)

This psalm was written during a time of David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him out, and was forced to go away.

Biblical commentators suggest that Abimelech was fearful of David's authority, thus, causing him to drive David away.  Though David knew his enemies wanted him dead and he experienced heartbreak, he trusted in God's divine protection and sovereignty over his life.

A "broken heart" is often experienced when there has been a "break" in a relationship or when one has suffered loss.  Feelings of abandonment and betrayal can quickly begin to overwhelm the broken heart.

Scripture tells us that David “changed his behavior before them” (1 Samuel 21:13).  Many people change or “alter” their behavior because of what has been done to them.  Been hurt?  Walls get built up.  Been betrayed?  Lack of trust begins to develop.  Don’t let people or unforeseen circumstances alter who you are.  There is a joy that cannot be thieved when a believer chooses to trust in God.

Jesus said that it is HIS job to "heal the brokenhearted" (Is 61:1-3).  One's heart can begin to beat again, live again, and love again when realized that healing comes from Christ alone.  

David, even through times of loss and betrayal, continued to praise the Lord.  The end result was a face that is radiant with victory rather than one that is shameful with defeat.  Those rightly related to the Lord often suffer much affliction, however, those who seek the Lord will never lack the experience of God’s goodness, even in difficult times. 

Today I encourage you to choose to believe again.  Choose to believe that God has a future purpose and plan for your life, regardless of circumstances or what has been done to you.  Faith in the Lord does not mean that one is void of adversity, however, one can rest assured that ultimately, victory belongs to those who follow the Lord.

The Empty Tomb

“1-2 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, ‘They took the Master from the tomb. We don’t know where they’ve put him.’

3-10 Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.” (John 20:1-8, MSG)

Upon hearing Mary's story, Peter and John ran to the tomb.  They expected to find the grave clothes gone, for they suspected a thief had stolen Jesus' body.  To their astonishment, they found the shroud lying exactly where the body had been placed.  The clothes still lay there, as if still around Jesus' body.  Jesus was gone but the grave clothes…still there.  The handkerchief used to cover Jesus' head was still in place where His head had laid.  This puzzled Peter and John for they had not understood the power of the Resurrection that had taken place.  

Notice, Mary went to the tomb EARLY, "while it was still dark".  In doing so, she was the FIRST one to experience Jesus' working power.  There is something that happens when we seek out Jesus early in the morning while it is still dark.  Maybe it is the quietness of the morning or maybe a loving heart that seeks Him early in the morning compels Him to reveal Himself in such a powerful way.

Peter and John missed out.  They too could have had a deeper understanding of the miraculous that was happening right before their very eyes but "they did not know the Scripture".  But Mary knew...oh, she knew.  So much so that at her discovery, she could not contain her excitement and RAN to share with the other disciples.

How many of us seek the Lord in the early morning hours, seeking Scripture, finding the miraculous in our lives?  How many of us get so excited as God reveals Himself to us that we run to share with others?  God's miraculous working power is happening everyday, in everything, all around us.  We must seek and know the Scriptures to not only recognize it, but to understand it.

Today I encourage you to seek Jesus early in the morning.  Let Him reveal himself to you through scripture and through others.  He is dying to do it...yes, He wants to empower you and strengthen you throughout the day by constantly and consistently having communion with you.

“Perhaps we don’t want to come face to face with the unsurrendered areas of our lives.  We like our lives just as they are, even if it is less than God’s best.”