Hope In Broken Times
52 Weeks of Biblical Healing
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. – Matthew 11:28-30
Introduction
This world, and life in general, are tough on all of us at times. It is very easy to become discouraged when we are facing a season of brokenness. Whether these heartbreaks are from relationship struggles, betrayal, loss of a loved one, or one of the other myriads of hurtful trials we are faced with in life, the challenge is difficult and real. Thank you for getting this book, I pray that it will bless you and help you along your journey of healing. God bless.
How To Apply This Book
The idea behind this book is to give you an insightful burst of hope from the word of God each week, for an entire year. To ensure you get the most of this experience I want you to take one simple action, before we begin.
Think for a few moments what is the best time of the week for you to focus on this journey. This could be on a Saturday morning, or perhaps the time you are taking now to read this, or anytime during the week that best fits in your schedule.
Once you have decided when that time is, I want you to set an alarm as a reminder on your cell phone that says, “Healing Hope”. And set the alarm to repeat at the same day and time each week. So that you are prompted to engage routinely. Each week when this alarm sounds, find a quit place alone, turn to where you are in the book and read the next section.
Before we move ahead, please take a few minutes to set the alarm now. Thank you.
Week One
Passage:
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. – Psalm 34:18
Reflection:
I don’t know about you. But every time I have suffered a broken heart what seemed to accompany the pain and hurt was an overwhelming feeling of loneliness. An overshadowing feeling that seemed to go with me everywhere I went. It didn’t matter if I was in a room full of people, or on a phone call with a close friend. That feeling of loneliness came right along with the pain.
This is why this scripture stood out to me as I was preparing this book. This scripture tells us that the feeling of loneliness during tough times is a lie. It doesn’t matter if we are by ourselves in our room or in a crowd of people, that feeling isn’t true because the Lord is near to us. You are not alone, even if you don’t have anyone to talk to. You have Jesus. And because you are hurting, he is even closer now than usual. The Lord always sees and hears us and is never too far away, but in these times of brokenness, he is even more present and close to us.
Pause for a moment and feel his presence. Feel the Lord hold you with his healing arms, with a healing and love that only he can give. Soak that in for as long as you need. Know that he is here with you to save you and heal your broken spirit.
Prayer:
Say this prayer with me:
“Dear Lord thank you for your presence. Thank you for being with me in my trying times. Thank you for your love and healing. I ask you to walk with me and guide me each step of the way on this healing journey. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”
During the week:
Every day this week as you are getting ready for work or making your morning coffee or on your commute, take time to remember this passage of scripture and reflection points. Be sure to take a few moments at the start of each day for this. Stay encouraged and let’s meet again at the same time next week. God bless you.
Week Two
Passage:
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. – Romans 8:18
Reflection:
This scripture transcends our normal perspective and calls us deeper. It causes us to refocus to a viewpoint outside of time and this physical life. Yet the scripture starts by acknowledges that we do have sufferings, and it isn’t that the bible is making light of our trials and brokenness. In fact, I believe it is the exact opposite. I believe the first part of the passage talks about the very worst of our struggles. Those that hurt us to our core. Those that sting so deeply we can’t see the light beyond the darkness. The recognition of the pain and deep heartbreak is right there in the word ‘sufferings’. Suffering is not a reference to a splinter in the hand. No, it’s a picture of long-drawn-out seasons of hardship.
Yet the passage continues and pulls us out of the present time. Out of the present ‘sufferings’ and redirects our focus to the glory to come. The glory of the Lord. The eternal glory of the Lord. The glory that was lost for all of us in the garden of Eden. A glory that shielded our bodies and our minds and kept us in an eternal state of joy and strength.
Most don’t realize it. But, when the bible says Adam and Eve knew they were naked, it isn’t talking about natural clothing. It is talking about the eternal spiritual clothing of the glory of God.
They lost it all that day, for themselves, and all of us who came after them. But Jesus paid the full price. The debt that kept us separated from the needed reunion with our Heavenly Father. Adam and Eve lost it all, but Jesus paid all that debt in full with his own trials and sufferings. With his own blood. And in Him we have the promise of true restoration. True redemption and eternal life. Where all those that accept him will again be clothed with the impenetrable glory of God forevermore.
And this passage weighs these two sides of the scales against each other. On one side it is all of the horrific and unbearable suffering and heartbreak that any of us face in our lifetime. And on the other side of the scale God places the eternal restored Glory paid for with the precious blood of Christ Jesus. He then tells us plainly that all our sufferings are not worthy to even be compared with this redeeming, everlasting, glory that is coming.
Sometimes it is hard to see past our current situation and it seems that no one understands. And even worse it can feel like there is no hope. Yet this scripture gives us the sobering perspective that limited time sufferings, no matter how bad they may be, can never compare to the eternal restoring glory of the love of God, in Christ.
Prayer:
Say this prayer with me:
“Dear Lord thank you for helping me with my day-to-day challenges. Thank you for knowing when I am facing unbelievable heartbreak and being with me every step of the way, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
But Lord I want to thank you most importantly for the promise of the Glory to come. The glory that you tell us so greatly outweighs the struggles of this life. And that they are not even worthy of comparison. Thank you for all you do and thank you for the eternal promise. In Jesus name. Amen.”
During the week:
Every day this week as you are getting ready for work or making your morning coffee or on your commute, take time to remember this passage of scripture and reflection points. Be sure to take a few moments at the start of each day for this. Stay encouraged and let’s meet again at the same time next week. God bless you.
Now grab the full book and continue the encouragement with Hope In Broken Times.
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