Day 14 and Day 15 - Psalm 34:18

Sorry to miss on the 14th, but it was a busy day celebrating my husband!  His birthday was on the 14th and we had a big lunch with all the kids and family.  I am so thankful for my husband.

" The Lord is close to those whose hearts have been broken.
    He saves those whose spirits have been crushed.  "  Ps 34:18

There are many experiences in life that can break our hearts such as disappointments, deaths , hurts , failures, missed opportunities, loss etc. When these times come we may be lonely and feel forsaken by others. But the wonderful promise is that the Lord is close to us at such time. 

There have been so many situations, where I was broken, for many different reasons.  And even now, there are broken things in my life, that God is working through.  Sometimes that brokenness is so hard to bare, we wonder if we will ever get through... and what on earth can ever come that is "good" from this pain.

Whenever we go through an experience of brokenness in our lives , we are in an unique position to be used by the Lord to minister healing and restoration to the broken hearted . The wounds of Jesus ministers healing to our lives . In the same way , we can allow the Lord to use the wounds in our lives to minister healing to others . We must allow the Lord to heal our wounds and then we can use that healing experience to reach out to others and enable them to experience the same healing in their lives. Instead of mourning over our heart breaking experiences , we must see the possibility of using them to become a channel of healing to others.

Scripture tells us "  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,and by his wounds we are healed."  In this picture of what Jesus has suffered, we can be assured that He knows our pain.  He has gone through every emotion of the hurt and broken.  He has already been there.  And it is by His wounds, by His blood we are healed of our hurt.

We must allow this healing though, and sometimes that is painful as well.  Sometimes we have held onto our "hurt and brokenness" for so long, it has actually become a comfort.  Praise God there is great news.... His grace is sufficient, and His power is made strong in our weakness.  Yes!

After the healing and the promises of His strength, we become witness to others that there is hope on the other side.  We can turn all those things we have survived and conquered with His help, to minister to those who are so desperate to know they are not alone.

I have been through a divorce.  I have been a single mom.  I have married and become a mom to many.  I have lost a precious child in pregnancy.  I have faced critical illness within my family.  Even now, there are some serious uncertainties in my life and in my family.......... and all of these, even now, as I am stumbling through this "unknown", I can use what I know about God, about His grace, about His faithfulness, about His healing, to help others.

The Lord is close........... and He saves those whose spirits are crushed!  I promise, there is Joy on the other side of it all!