Wednesday, July 5, 2023
A wounded heart can be burdensome, a heavy load to carry for our heart’s spirit. We all face situations or people that are unpleasant, difficult to deal with, and cause us to worry. Life seems to have a certain ebb and flow. I’ve recently wondered if everyone has such drama in their lives or if it’s just me.
Last weekend, we stepped into the life of a woman named Martha. In Luke 10:38-42, which we explored a bit yesterday, she is struggling with weariness when Jesus extends an invitation for something better. Today, we encounter Martha, seemingly wounded, as she wrestles with her brother’s death during an interaction with Jesus.
John 11:21-22
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”
She sent for Jesus to come right away (John 11:1-20), but Lazarus died. Imagine how disappointed she must have been. Maybe she felt a little resentment? However, we see that by the time Jesus did arrive, Martha had done the heart work required to allow her spirit to trust him.
On occasion, my spirit has been in this very place. I’ve sat with a broken heart and cried out to Jesus in prayer, or felt led to find scripture that spoke to my brokenness in search of answers. Though I don’t often get the answer I seek, the answer I get leads me to trust more deeply. I accept that I am not alone in my suffering and that I can trust in the God who watches over me, holds me, and heals me.
Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
Sometimes I’m not the one who feels the brokenness. Others’ broken spirits are often just as worrisome and heavy as my own. Loss can bring a lot of heaviness to a spirit—not only the loss of a loved one but also the loss of a job, a home, or an opportunity. God didn’t create us to carry such heavy burdens alone, and that’s where community comes in.
Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
The healing that God has provided in my spirit has inspired me to share my faith with others. It’s a chance to use my pain to lift someone else up. After all, no good can come from being stuck in a state of spiritual brokenness. And as an added bonus, sharing my experience of finding new hope and strength in Christ often brings more healing and purpose to my own spirit too.
Questions:
What do you do when your spirit is broken or you have a loss in your life? Whom do you share such a burden with? How do you react when faced with someone else’s brokenness?
Next Steps:
Make a plan and take steps for when a broken spirit comes to you, either your own or someone else's. Joining a Group is a great way to surround yourself with people who will walk with you and encourage you during your seasons of a broken spirit, and whom you can support during theirs.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for meeting me in my brokenness. Thank you for showing me the way to healing and for placing others in my life to journey with. Help me to see opportunities to share the experience and strength that only you can give. Lord, bring purpose to my pain and let your light shine in me and through me. Amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Ecclesiastes 9:17
Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king.