A Faith that Heals the Broken

Mark 5:34 - He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.

There are so many people around me that have suffered unimaginable grief over the past few years. The kind of pain that no one should have to endure. The kind of pain that I wish I could magically remove from them. These loved, dear ones did nothing to deserve the suffering that has been cast upon them. I can see them drowning in their tears and I feel helpless. The obligatory, “I’m sorry for your loss”, seems so hollow compared to what they face each day. I also have been witness to a handful of young ladies that have been miraculously healed of their addictions and pain through their faith in Jesus Christ. I believe the scripture above speaks to each story. Healing through our faith in Christ is for each one of us. Some healing is instantaneous. Addictions can be taken instantly through the transformation of salvation. However, the healing of a broken heart can and will take much longer.

I’ve never suffered the soul crushing loss of a spouse or child, so I cannot speak to how God goes about healing the deepest of wounds that can be imagined. I have, however; suffered abuse, abandonment, and the pain of not being able to have my own children. Those past heartbreaks never really go away, but the weight of the pain has been released for me. In all honesty, each time God has healed my heart, it started with me accepting His Sovereignty. It’s not about saying, “Oh well, God can just do what He wants.” It’s more about accepting that although I may never know this side of heaven why something happened or why God allowed something to happen, I can know that God is God, and He can take even the worst pain and turn it into something beautiful. He can take my faith in His Sovereignty and use my past devastating situations to help someone else see that there is hope in the aftermath of tragedy.

The first thing for me that had to be removed was my anger and jealousy. Anger I’m sure is easily understood but what was the jealousy about? The jealousy was that I was the one that had to suffer and no one else I knew was dealing with the pain I had in my spirit. I felt like no one understood or could relate. That feeling made me feel isolated, alone, and angry. The issues with abuse and abandonment involved forgiveness. However, the heart wrenching inability to have my own children did not involve another human so there was no one to forgive. I did, however, have to come to terms with the feelings of anger. I don’t think I was angry at God, but I was angry, and grief stricken.

God wants every part of us, especially the broken parts. He wants those parts because He knows He can heal them. I think sometimes our pain is so intense we protect it from any other intrusion. We want to keep from exposing it because we think if we expose it, we will hurt even more. So, we cling to it and hold it close to us. If we could get to a place of submission, or vulnerability to where we cry out to God to take it from us, I know from experience, He will do it. He can and will heal any pain that a human heart has endured. He, in fact, endured the biggest heartache of all. He sent His Son to take on all of humanity’s sins. He witnessed His blameless Son die just so He could have a relationship with us in order to heal us. Why do we think we have to hold our pain back from Him? Why do we think there are some devastations that He cannot heal?

I am in no way attempting to sugar coat or belittle devastating grief. I am, however, pointing to the hope that God’s word gives to those who have put their faith in Him. He is a cry away; healing is just a whisper from your heart. Let the truth of God’s word bring you healing. Daughter, your faith can heal you. You can go in peace, and you can be freed from your suffering. I say all of this with the caveat that you cannot put a time limit on grief. Please do not allow the enemy to make you feel guilty if your pain of grief lasts longer than someone else’s. Every situation is different, and every heart is healed in its own time. This is simply a reminder that it CAN be healed. If we believe He can make the lame to walk again, we must believe that He can heal the broken heart.

Our hope is in You, Lord Jesus! I pray for my precious loved ones, that their faith in You heals every pain that envelopes their spirits. I ask that You provide them with the courage and confidence to cry out to You for help. I am asking that the Spirit that miraculously saved their souls will take every broken piece and put it back together lovingly and with more strength than before they were broken. Restore their joy, Lord Jesus, renew their strength, and let them remember their loved ones without it bringing sorrow to their spirit.