God does heal broken hearts!
The Bible portrays God as a healer, not just of the body, but also of the innerman – heart and soul. He is a God Who heals and mends broken hearts. He heals our hurting emotions, and pained memories.
Jesus declared that He had come to heal and mend the brokenhearted. This is Great News!
God heals us by comforting our hearts. Isn’t it amazing that of all the names there are, Jesus chose to call the Holy Spirit “the Comforter”? Observe that Jesus didn’t say “a comforter”. He is the Comforter. That means there ain’t any other comforter in the earth. He took the place of Jesus Christ. He is the One Who comforts us in our brokenness.
The word “comfort” is a compound word from the words “com-” and “fortis.” Com is a word forming element usually meaning “with, together, together with, in combination.” Fortis is a Latin, which means “strong, brave.” Our word fortitude also came from the same root. Putting the two together, the word comfort gives a picture of a union or relationship, which brings strength, solace, help, bravery. So the Comforter is One Who comes alongside or walks together with us, to help, aid, assist, solace and strengthen us, especially in our down moments.
The beautiful thing about this picture is the relationship aspect. True and lasting comfort comes only from the vital relationship we have with the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t offer us help from a distance. No! He’s already come to live within us. He has made Himself one with us. In this way, He feels what we feel. In our pain and affliction, He is also pained and afflicted. He understands perfectly our hard-to-describe struggles. He knows our thoughts before we think them, and our words before we utter them. He is never disconnected from our realities.
Not only does the Comforter share in our own pains and sufferings, He helps us to also share in His strength, comfort, joy, peace and healing. He binds up the brokenhearted; strengthens the weak with much strength in their inner man. To the despairing, He imparts hope for a brighter future. He helps us conquer our shame and disappointment. He gives the ability to rise above our hurt, to forgive and to let go of the painful past.
The dear Holy Spirit comforts hearts that are grieving and mourning the loss of loved ones. How He does it amazes me. Gradually but surely He brings in His peace and restores joy. I have been privileged to experience this myself. When I lost my wife, I couldn’t imagine I would be whole again. I was devastated beyond words. I felt torn apart. My pain was indescribable. It’s been a little over a year now, and looking back, I am so grateful for His healing and inner strength, even though He still has alot of mending to do on my heart.
In the midst of the hurt, the fear, the loneliness, the so many unanswered questions and emotions I couldn’t identify, one thing stood tall for me – the ever-abiding Presence of the Helper deep within me. I was not left alone. He was right there with me in it all. That was so reassuring and took care of my fears. And knowing that He was hurting as much as I was, gave me strength beyond measure. I felt loved and valued. And there were times I could even feel His soothing embrace. His voice is both life and healing to me.
I also found out that, not only does the Comforter relieve our pains and gives us the strength to pull through them, He also changes us in the process. He makes us into comforters. He makes our hearts tender and sensitive to the pains of others. We become more compassionate towards those hurting, especially those who are going through the same thing we have come through.
Apostle Paul aptly captures this amazing transformation when he said this about the Comforter:
“He always comes alongside us to comfort us in every suffering so that we can come alongside those who are in any painful trial. We can bring them this same comfort that God has poured out upon us.” (2 Corinthians 1:4, TPT)
Receive the healing comfort of the Divine Comforter today. In Jesus Name
