My Heart Is Broken

By Denielle Placide

Does this sound familiar to you?

Well, it does for me. In my field of counselling, most of my days are spent listening to the cries of women who repeatedly utter the words, “My heart is breaking” or as one young lady descriptively put it, “My heart is in pieces”.

I have not gotten used to these words because truly, there are some situations in life that leave us in a desolate place; a place of emptiness. A place where we are reduced to fragments― ruptured, torn, fractured, and broken.

The book of 2 Samuel 13 records one of the hardest, heart- breaking and gutwrenching accounts of all times. Princess Tamar, a beautiful, graceful, hospitable, and pure- hearted young woman became a victim of abuse, rejection and a shattered heart at the hands of her brother, Amnon.

Her life, like that of many people, was evidence of the usual rampage by the devil to destroy lives. It was C.S Lewis who said “ Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny”. However, for Tamar this did not become a reality as 2 Samuel 13:21 indicates that after her tragic experience, she remained desolate.

Our hurts and pains are not meant to define who we are and should not cause us to become embittered. God’s plan is to give us a new meaning and a message through our hardships. The challenges we face may be a part of God writing our story. He can even use our story as a means of His grace and intervention in the lives of others; even those who may have ‘wrecked’ our story.

When you are hurt, there is a natural tendency to say and do things that do not represent God. However, above all else, you must guard your heart, for out of it everything flows (Proverbs 4:23 NIV), and the pillar of truth is “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV).

Therefore, how do you pick the pieces of your heart when negative life experiences leave you shattered? Let’s consider Hannah, “Who was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly” (1 Samuel 1:10 ESV).

Like Tamar, Hannah’s life was wrapped up in pain and shame. She also suffered ridicule by Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife. To worsen the situation, Peninnah was able to bear children, but Hannah could not.

Hannah had an issue of the heart, but she responded differently. I will explain what she did using six verses of 1 Samuel 1.

1. She Trusted the Process: verse 6 ‒ “The Lord had closed her womb”. God’s purposes were beyond blessing Hannah with a son. He had a plan to bless her at the right place and at the right time.

2. She Trusted God’s Power and Ability: verse 11 – “And she made a vow… Verse 18 – May your servant find favor... she was no longer downcast. Even when she could not trace His hand, she trusted His heart.

3. She Stayed in Position for her Promise: verse 16 – “…I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” And even when the voices said otherwise, she stayed in position.

4. She Pivoted from a Place of Pain to a Place of Praise: verse 19 – she

“worshipped Him”. She offered Him praise and laid all her burdens on him. 5. She Stayed in Pursuit of God: verse 26 – “As surely as you live, my Lord…”,

In the midst of this unstable, ever-changing and hectic world, it is important to keep your heart focused on God. You will always be exposed to the negative elements of this world, but God will never allow your pain and brokenness to have the final word. He always has the final say.

Therefore, silence the lies in your head and activate God’s truth in your heart even when you say “My heart is breaking”.