What breaks your heart?

This phrase “it breaks my heart” or “it’s heart-breaking” is occupying my thoughts of late. Some of it is more light hearted and some of it is of the more serious variety. In the journey of our (hopefully) long lives, there are many moments that feel like your heart is literally breaking in good or bad ways and we are tasked with navigating it all with grace.

Have you been to a wedding and instead of looking at the bride right away, look at the groom as he sees his bride for the first time that day, he beams and sees no one but her. That’s a joy filled moment. The people in attendance get to share in that joy.

Are you watching the World Cup? At the end of the match, there are concurrent feelings. The winners are elated, they are still in the game, they get to advance. The losers are crushed, they gave all they had on the field and they played well, but the other team was just better that day. This is a happy and sad moment all at once, it depends on which team you are on. God’s grace abounds. At the end of the France/Morocco match, a Moroccan player was sitting on the field, just sitting. The cameras happened to capture two French players approach him, crouch down and talk with him. They probably know each other off the field and it was a moment of touching solidarity.

The thoughts that lead to me uttering the words “it breaks my heart” this week are health diagnosis for people in my circle. Some have more possibility of recovery than others. I can’t know- healing or going to heaven is not up to me. The only one that knows is God himself. I am sad and curious at the same time. I have questions and no answers for the “why”.

What I realize is that I can’t do this life alone. I need others in my life to lift me up, encourage, and love me as I lift up, encourage, and love others. At the very foundation is prayer. I can’t hope to love others and be helpful if I am not in touch with my Lord and Savior. In my heart-breaking moments I turn to prayer, my phone a friend if you will to find peace.

Peace may be fast or slow to appear, but it always comes. When I allow God and others into my situation, it becomes a bit lighter. If you are in a challenging moment now, ask for assistance (divine and otherwise). It makes a difference. Your circumstances may not change, but how you see it may.