“[The righteous] cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (Ps 34:17-18 AV)
What words of hope are these? Tremendous! Beyond tremendous! We have to be careful to remember that relief may not always be immediate. Most of the time, it is not. Most of the time God’s deliverance is future tense. Most of the time He delivers by bringing us through the trial before the trial ends. What is interesting to consider is the reality of a broken heart compared to God’s response to it. One would ask of the LORD’s judgment in allowing a heart to be broken in the first place. Our beloved Psalmist does not consider this. It won’t change the reality of it. His heart is broken regardless, and wondering why God did not prevent it doesn’t change the fact that it is broken. In the context of our psalm, the heart needed to be broken. Because the word ‘contrite’ is used, this suggests repentance. That is what ‘contriteness’ means. To be contrite means to come the reality that we have sinned and are broken for it. Therefore, God is near. But sin isn’t the only cause of a broken heart. We may not initially understand the necessity for it. It still comes. The comfort comes from the truth that God is near and that God will deliver.
Mayoclinic.org states, “Broken heart syndrome is a heart condition that's often brought on by stressful situations and extreme emotions. The condition also can be triggered by a serious physical illness or surgery. Broken heart syndrome is usually temporary. But some people may continue to feel unwell after the heart is healed. People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they're having a heart attack. Broken heart syndrome affects just part of the heart. It briefly interrupts the way the heart pumps blood. The rest of the heart continues to work as usual. Sometimes the heart contracts more forcefully.” I noticed a few things here. First, broken heart syndrome is temporary. I also noticed that after the trauma, a feeling of being unwell might continue. It is also interesting that the broken heart can continue to function normally because most of the muscle is uninterrupted or damaged. What a perfect picture of the trials of life. Even Job has something that worked. He may have lost his family, his purpose, and his health, but he still had his mind, his friends, and his wife. God did not allow complete loss.
A broken heart may be broken. But a broken heart is never destroyed. With the LORD there is always strength. It is never as bad as it seems. It is funny how a broken heart is laser-focused on the broken part. It fails to see how everything else is healthy. The break is the largest factor. That is what we feel. That is what hurts. The broken heart screams for relief. The broken heart simply does not want to feel the break anymore. But as we read above, it is temporary. Once David went to the LORD and gained reconciliation, the occupational therapy begins. No doubt David picked his harp up, plucked a few familiar songs, and perhaps wrote some new ones. No doubt he went home to be with his family. Thoughts would still enter that hindered the healing process. But as I learned after my shoulder surgery, therapy is slow but effective. God is there. He is there to heal and deliver. It takes time. There is no quick fix. The great Physician has clocked in. He is there. He will be there. All the way through the healing process, God is there. And you will be ok.
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