My wife and myself had a very casual Valentine’s Day this year. We went out to galivant around, doing the activities that we like to do on a regular basis. A simple daytime date with food, laughs, and spontaneous stops along the way.
Though from the beginning of the day until the end, I had a friend of mine heavily on my heart and on my mind. I couldn’t help to think about him as he was spending his first Valentine’s Day without his wife who passed suddenly last year. Without much warning and within seconds, he found himself a widower at a young age. I made sure to pray for him that morning and whispered a few more prayers throughout the day. For the teenagers and small children that he’s now raising alone as well.
On holidays like these, social media puts the best of everything out there for all to see. The long stem roses and large candy hearts. The fancy candlelit dining and perfect kisses purposely caught on camera. As wonderful as all of that is, social media doesn’t always capture the rawness of life. People, on these days, living with a completely crushed heart. Those living in the shadows, fighting back depression and wishing that these days would disappear. There are many people, more that we could know, walking around carrying a broken heart in their chest.
Maybe that’s you as well. Maybe you’re sitting there reading while thinking to yourself, “Oh, finally you’re writing something I can fully relate to.” Your life certainly hasn’t gone the way you had diligently planned out. Instead, it’s been full of loss, disappointment, and detours. Dreams and future hopes shattered, while you now live out a story you never expected. A story that wouldn’t make it to a likeable post or favorite highlight reel on social media.
Just like I did for my friend and his children, I’m spending some time this morning praying for you. I’m praying that God would begin a deep healing in your heart and life. That despite having experienced much disappointment, the healing process would replace much sadness and sorrow with a renewed hope and joy. I’m praying that your heart would come back to life and that God would redeem your story and use it to help out someone else walking on a similar journey behind you.
Even though you’re undeniably carrying this broken heart around. God promises to be near to the brokenhearted and to bind up each wound. There is someone making it a point to pray for you specifically.
You don’t have to carry it alone.
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
