My Heart is Breaking

This may be a short post this morning...and hopefully I will write more later. Today my heart is breaking...It is breaking for those who are broken who see no hope. My heart is breaking for those who are in the darkness and cannot see the light. My heart is breaking for those who are bound to chains of their past and don't know how to break free. My heart breaks for those who are heaped over in pain because of the weight of their burdens are too heavy to carry anymore on their own. My heart breaks for those whose identity has been lost because they have attached their hurts, fears, guilt, and shame to who they are...they feel unidentifiable. I am grieving today. That use to be me.

Yesterday I heard someone I didn't know say, "I am too broken". There was not glimmer of hope in their voice. Their voice, their words have replayed themselves in my heart all night and in to this morning. As I prayed for this person, so many images of others that I don't know, flashed through my heart, and my heart was filled with compassion and grief and a sense of urgency like never before. I find myself in tears this morning...That use to be me.

Why is this on my heart so heavy? It is because that use to be me. I sat in the same chair that man did and felt the same way. No hope...No light...a lost identity...heaped over in pain...my burdens were too heavy to carry anymore...the hurt, the fear, the guilt and the shame...it was too much.

Yesterday when I heard him with that cry in his heart, not knowing his story, I realized how many hurting people there are in this world who see not light or hope. I am so grateful to my refuge, my strong tower...To the God who loves me...who loves us...who loves that man sitting in the chair...

I am so grateful that:
Psalm 40:2-4 NLT
"He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mid and mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He gave me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
Oh the Joys of those who trust the Lord."

Isaiah 61 (Message)
Announce Freedom to All Captives
1-7 "The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them "Oaks of Righteousness"
planted by God to display his glory.
They'll rebuild the old ruins,
raise a new city out of the wreckage." (emphasis mine)

I know that this is heavy stuff...but it is real. It is real because I was there. It is real and God is calling us to give hope to the lost, those without hope, and those who feel "so broken" that they can't see how any light can break through their darkness. Pray...love...praise...

This is not meant to bring you down, but to be grateful for who our God is and prompt us to pray for those who can't pray for themselves today...He is the lifter of our heads. That USE to be me. And now God is calling me to share His hope...WE ARE LOVED BY HIM!
Teresa :) (well...I guess it wasn't so short!)