Devotionals for the Heart: Hope and healing for the brokenhearted

God Heals the Brokenhearted
A devotional by Essie Faye

“I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.”— Isaiah 57:18 (KJV)

I stared blankly into space in my dimly lit bedroom and prayed to God saying, “Here I am Lord, once again. I’m going through divorce. Again. How did I get here a second time?”

I was numb, speechless, and shocked. Thoughts of the life I once envisioned—a future full of hope—rushed through my mind. There are so many lingering unfulfilled dreams and expectations. There was the loving marriage and true partnership that was never realized. The spiritual covering and God-centered true partnership that I ached for never materialized. Joyful children of legacy that I desperately desired were unborn. Yet again these dreams escaped my grasp, no matter how I prayed and tried to capture them. And, believe me, I tried—even to my hurt and almost to my demise. The disappointment and embarrassment—the pain of loss is real. And so is God. He is here with me, in the face of grief. Especially in my brokenness, God is present to heal me again and again.

In Isaiah 57:18, the prophet shares the heart of God with His people. God is near the hurting. God is present to heal our brokenness again and again. He is the Lord who heals us. Healing the brokenhearted is one of His many specialties. In this text God promises four things to His children who are hurting. As I hold fast to these promises, I have hope to move forward and grow through the pain. I pray that you too will find solace in them.

God promises that He sees the ways of his people. God sees you. All things are naked before His eyes. He promises never to leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). God is with us in good times and bad. He sees your pain, frustration, and loss just as He sees your joy, jubilation, and triumph. Not only does God see you, but He empathizes with you and He is moved to act on your behalf. He says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3 NIV). This brings me hope that God will heal my broken heart.

God promises to heal. He will repair the broken places of your life. He will help us to put the broken pieces of our hearts together again. He will heal our hurt and turn our mourning into dancing. He is our God who heals. He heals the brokenhearted and sets captives free. My shattered heart is safe in the Master’s hand. He will repair it. This brings me hope that the pain will end and the sun will shine again in my life.

God promises that He will lead us. He will take us by our hands and lead us in the way that we should go. He leads us beside quiet waters. (Psalm 23:2). He will lead us in peace when chaos is all around us. He will still our emotions when the storm within us rages. He will lead us by His Spirit, with His voice, and His Word when we don’t know which way to turn. We can trust Him. He knows the way. What’s even better is that if there is no way, He will create a way of escape, so we are able to endure our situation, by His grace. This gives me hope that peace will once again rule my heart.

God promises to restore. He will restore the things that you lost in your struggle. The joy that turned to sadness and the peace that fled for anxiety–God will restore. He will reset order in our lives plagued with chaos. He calms life’s most ferocious seas because He is God. He will cause you to recover time you thought lost and dreams you’ve given up on. God is faithful. Even from a place of woundedness I have a hope unperishable as I hold on to my faith. I know my God. He always wins and so do I, even in the face of adversity.

Call to Action:

1. Acknowledge your brokenness. Stop pretending that everything is okay–be honest with yourself, before God, and with others.

2. Lean into your pain. Experience the loss and learn the lessons which are blessings in disguise.

3. Lean into your loving community. Access your safe relationships often as you heal.

4. Partner with God and do the work to heal. Take an active role in your healing. See a counselor, reflect on your experience, change toxic habits and patterns, and reestablish boundaries in your relationships. Care for yourself and be kind to yourself–especially during this time.

5. Remember, God sees you. God loves you. God will heal you. God will lead you on a plain path. God will restore. Only trust Him.

Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, You are incredible. You know all things. You trusted us to experience the pain and loss that we now feel. We have the opportunity to know You as a Healer of broken hearts. We thank You because Your healing is sure. Father, we thank You that you see us and You are moved with compassion to heal our brokenness. By the stripes of Jesus Christ we are healed. Help us to acknowledge our brokenness and bring it to You. Even when our circumstances seem unbearable, give us grace to believe that we are being touched by Your healing hands. See us through this trying season and help us to hold onto our faith and Your exceeding precious promises. We thank You for hearing us, healing us, and answering. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Fragile Heart” by Yolanda Adams. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Essie Faye Taylor is a woman of faith. She’s a bilingual author, educator, speaker, psalmist, and interpreter. 

Essie is the author of the “Finding the Love You Deserve” series for women and teens. She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to heal themselves, love and accept themselves, and pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path.

Essie is a Chicago native where she lives with her husband Donald Taylor II.

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Connect with Essie:
Website: www.essiefayetaylor.com
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Essie%20Faye%20Taylor/author/B09XF3TC22
Listen to Essie’s music at https://on.soundcloud.com/X6DeoRXra7YoKcC2A.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/ on Instagram
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/esther.tate.39
Read Essie’s YouVersion Devotion Plan here: http://bible.us/r/Abn