Holy Emotions - Biblical Responses to Every ChallengeSample

A broken heart is epically greater than mere disappointment and whips into our lives with a force that leaves everything forever changed. A broken heart will make you wretch with pain and heave with sorrow. A broken heart will leave you gasping for breath. God knew that while we are living this side of heaven that there would be people, events, and issues that would break the hearts of His beloved children and so He has a plan for the most devastating moment in your life. The word "broken" in Hebrew is the word shabar and it means "to rend violently, wreck or crush; to maim, cripple, to shatter or break." Ancient Hebrew is a very descriptive language and so this word shabar comes not only with a definition but also with situations that it was used in the description of. This word was used to describe ships that had been splintered and torn from stem to stern due to ferocious and wild winds. It was also used to describe the action of tearing and ripping that wild, ravenous beasts performed upon their prey. It could literally be translated "the ruptured hearted ones." The word for "heart" in this particular Scripture is the word leb and it is referring to the soul or heart of a man. It encompasses one's moral character, appetites, emotions, passions and even the mind and the memory. When the Psalmist declares that "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted," his words are words spoken with tender care and great compassion. He is reminding all of Christendom in the epochs yet to come that the Lord is lovingly attentive to those who are enduring unimaginable pain. This pain may have been caused by a great tempest in your life or by a wild and ferocious person, but the Lord is standing attentively beside you paying diligent attention to your shattered and bleeding heart. If you have ever suffered from this torturous condition, I can assure you that you were never out of God's care. If today, you are emotionally torn apart and wonder how you will make it through one more today, I want to comfort you with the surety that He is with you now.