What makes your heart hurt?

Heartache comes in many forms. The source may be different but the pain is the same.

As I sat across the table from my friend, I realized that pain is dealt with in many different ways. As she shared the grief in her heart, I realized that some of what she had to say was exactly how my heart felt. Different stories. Different people. But yet the same feeling.

Some of us handle our pain by talking about it, trying desperately to find answers or justification. While others handle it by retreating, trying to protect our hearts so more pain will not be inflicted. Often times, we even get caught up in the "what if" game. "What if" I had done this or "What if" I had said that. But many times, even in all of these attempts to soften the pain, there are no answers, no relief and no comfort.

Sometimes it feels like we stand against the world when we are hurting. It appears nobody knows how we feel. And often times people do not understand what we are going thru or they just don't have enough empathy to truly care. They say they care, but they tire easily of hearing your story or it takes no time at all for them to forget all about you and your sufferings. People often go on their way, having to deal with their own pain and difficulties, forgetting that there can be a great ministry in their pain. Reaching out to others, loving them and just listening to them while nobody else will.

Nobody is capable of doing this like Jesus. Our friends and family can give forth their best effort, but nobody knows the depth of of our pain and sorrow like Jesus. He has open arms and reaches out to us long before we even realize that we need comforting. He knows all about the sorrows of our hearts.

In fact, all throughout scripture, we see where Jesus had a habit of healing the wounded spirit. Often times we think that these wounds refer to something physical. But in all honesty, this also encompasses ailments of our heart.

Matthew 11:4-5 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things you do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

The blind, the lame, the deaf and the lepers all were wounded in some form or fashion. They were all downcast and in need. And Jesus healed ALL of them. He looked at them like nobody else did, with love and compassion. He looked past their infirmity and made them whole again.

If He could do this for their bodies, healing the heart is nothing more. If the heart is where He resides, wouldn't you think He wants it to be healthy?

I don't know what is making your heart hurt today, but Jesus wants to restore it back to health. And possibly, He wants to turn your pain into helping someone else. It may just be what the doctor Father ordered!