What Can God’s Love Do For A Hurting Heart?

Have you ever had someone criticize you in such a way that their words felt like arrows leveled straight to your heart? It can hurt deeply. A few years ago, one of my loved ones said a few unkind comments to me. These unseen arrows flew straight out of an angry spirit and hit their mark.

I was wounded, but I carefully examined the harm by rehashing the hurtful comments in my mind. This only began a path toward further discouragement, and soon my wound felt beyond repair. I needed a basic and necessary tool for wound-healing: a clear light under which to examine it. Since Psalm 119:105 says God’s Word is, “a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path,” we can examine our wounds by its light. Only then can we treat them by applying a healing salve.

The wonderful thing about God’s Word is that it is both a light and a salve. When we apply it to our lives — and our wounds — we receive healing.

When I prayed about the issue, the following scripture came to mind, “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (2 Thessalonians 3:5). I needed this remedy, so I asked for it by praying “Lord, please direct my heart into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” Instead of allowing my wounded heart to direct my thoughts, I allowed God’s Word to direct my heart so that my thoughts would follow. My heart was flooded by the healing touch of God’s love when I began to meditate on the “wide and long and high and deep” love that God has for me in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3:18)

God’s love in Christ is abundant and all-sufficient for us. The Greek word used for love in the above verse is agapēn, related to the word agapé, and it represents a love that shows benevolence, generosity and helpfulness to the needy and afflicted. I certainly needed this kind of love, as feelings of rejection and pain had led to ruminating thoughts that increased my suffering. But I do not create a mindset of healing when I plaster the walls of my mind with thoughts about how someone has hurt me . This type of thinking only creates a well-decorated pity-party!

God loves us too much to leave us alone in a pity-party of our own making. He invites us to a different kind of party; He invites us to a love feast!

Did you know that agapé, in its plural form, is used in relation to the term “love feasts” in the New Testament? These were the feasts that took place in the early church before the celebration of communion. Instead of having a pity-party I can choose to direct my heart into the love-feast that God has provided for me. You can, too! God’s love in Jesus Christ is enough for your need. Feast on what He says about you in His Word; He loved you so much that “He gave His one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Let God bring healing to your pain as you feast your thoughts on His love for you.

As you read this, you might be thinking, “But I have been hurt so many times! Remembering God’s love for me in the face of people’s rejection won’t bring comfort.” You may feel that you need a person who can relate to your pain and suffering; only then will you feel comforted. You need a person who “was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (Isaiah 53:3) .

May God direct your wounded heart straight into the perseverance of Jesus Christ, who was also rejected by those he loved.

The Greek word for perseverance used in today’s verse is hupomone. It is one of my favorite words in the Bible, aside from the name of Jesus. This word means more than just perseverance; it implies remaining under difficult situations or challenges while patiently and steadfastly enduring them. Jesus Christ suffered this way for us, leaving us an example so we can follow in his steps.

Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Remember that because of the joy that awaited him, he endured the cross! Think of all that Jesus endured from those who hurt him, and follow his example, so you will not become weary and give up. Remember Hebrews 12:1-3, which says, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Fixing our eyes on our wounds or on the sins of others will always weary us. We will easily lose heart when our hearts are full of bitterness. Instead, let’s forgive those who hurt us and find solace in God’s Word. It is my hope and prayer that your heart will always be directed to the healing comfort of God’s generous love and into the patient endurance of Jesus Christ.

This post is from my iBelieve article under the title Love Feast or Pity-Party?