Healer of the Broken Hearted

Post date: Mar 19, 2014 2:15:15 AM

Today I was talking with a friend who told me of the tragic death of his spouse.  A feeling of compassion flooded me, as I listened, since it was evident that he had experienced some deep emotional pain. To a degree, I understood his grief, since,  I too, at a young age,  had eye-witnessed the burning death of my grandmother and  experienced the emotional turmoil that followed. 

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound:

Definition of broken hearted: 

 broken: subtribo:- to crush completely, (i.e.): to shatter, break in pieces, broken to shivers (heart), bruise.

hearted: kardia: the heart (i.e.) the thoughts or feelings (mind)

This tragedy caused a great deal of emotional hardship for my young mind, unfortunately, in the 1960's there was little or no counselling offered to trauma victims. As a child I was emotionally fragile struggling with and experiencing frequent nightmares and emotional outbursts. The nightmares and the emotional  outbursts all ended by the time  I entered my teenage years but in their wake a feeling of insecurity and fear had creeped into my soul turning what was an outward expression of emotion into an inward one which  seemed to paralyze me when facing new challenges. 

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

One Sunday morning while at church an older member of our congregation interrupted the Pastor, mid sermon, by pointing toward me  saying, "God has a scripture for you", she then recited 2 Timothy 1:7 and promptly sat down.  About a week later my wife and I were listening to a radio evangelist who called out my name  during his radio broadcast. After providing the same  scriptural reference that I had  received a week  earlier, he  proceeded to interpret its meaning.  He explained that God wanted me to share my testimony of Gods 'goodness with my family. His interpretation and my positive response  instantly doused the flames of fear that had held me captive and  ignited a new fire of evangelism  within me.  It was amazing to have been set free and able to share  God's message of hope without reservation. Not even my families initial rejection of my message deterred me from pursuing God's instruction. Over time, my grandfather, father, sister, aunt, brother-in-law and nephews had given their hearts to Christ.  

2 Corinthians 3: 17  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

This was only the beginning of God's restoration in me.  It was that little boy , not the adult, who had been blindsided by tragedy and  broken in spirit by a foe he didn't know. He was  far to young  to  understand the negative effects of trauma ,so, he just hid the memories deep within his soul  not realizing  that where there has been trauma, there are shattered emotions and where there are shattered emotions there are emotional  scars. Unfortunately, scars can't be hidden but became  a  reminder to him of the past. Their taunting seemingly fanned  the flames of insecurity in him both as a child and into adulthood.  One Sunday morning , sensing my need to be set free, a visiting  pastor prayed for me. His words are a blur to me now but whatever he prayed it unleashed a torrent of tears in me and in its wake the painful memories and insecurity had all been swept away. The scripture so apply says: " The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalms 34: 18 NIV) Praise God for His love and mercy.  I've been set free!!!

1 Thessalonians 5: 23… And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When the Spirit of God abides in you then you are full of light and there is no place for darkness to hide. God is no respecter of persons, so, what God did for me He will do for you. Now I think that’s awesome!