A Prayer for God to Ease My Heartache
By Kristine Brown
Bible Reading
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” - Psalm 147:3, ESV
I am writing this devotion and prayer today from the depths of a broken heart. Another birthday came and went, and as I looked back on the past 365 days, I was reminded of a sobering truth. This has been a hard year. So, I’ve been sitting with God and thinking about the words in today’s verse. I’m asking him to show me what those words mean for me in the midst of my heartbreak, and in the silence, I sense a gentle reminder from God that he is here and willing to walk me through it.
Heartache can make us feel lonely as if no one cares or understands what we’re going through. Those negative thoughts mislead us into thinking God isn’t there, and we are left to struggle alone. But the soul-satisfying truth is that God wants to see us whole. He is a God who heals, comforts, and restores our brokenness. I, for one, have been lured by negative thoughts when my heart is breaking. There have been days when I woke up wanting to be by myself, so I pushed God and everyone else away. Pretty soon, I blamed others for my loneliness, convincing myself I was better off in solitude and that things would never get better. That’s why I am finding such encouragement in Psalm 147.
The psalmist speaks of how great our God is and how he abundantly blesses his hurting people. He proclaims how “God is abundant in power, and his understanding is beyond measure.” (Psalm 147:5) We need God’s understanding in abundance, because in our pain, we may be tempted to lash out toward him or the people in our lives who just want to help. Thankfully, our loving God longs for us to bring our heartache to him and trust him with our deepest wounds.
Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” This is such a soothing promise for times when we feel saturated with grief that it seems like nothing will help the pain.
The theme of today’s key verse can be found in other places in Scripture, as well. Psalm 34:18 reinforces how God will ease our heartache by reminding us, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Still, the hard reality is, when I’m experiencing heartache, sometimes the last thing I think to do is open my Bible. It’s like a battle rages between my spirit that wants more of God and my feelings that want to linger in the sadness. Yet I press on. Because I’m learning, the more time I spend reading God’s Word, the more I will remember to turn to it when heartache happens. So friend, let’s mark Psalm 147 in our Bibles right now. Let’s grab a sticky note, a bookmark, or save a screenshot of it on our phones if that’s where we read it most. Then the next time we find ourselves deep in the throes of heartache, we will know exactly where to turn. God is ready and waiting for us to come to him for healing.
Let’s pray:
Dear God,
My heart aches as I think about everything that has happened in my life recently. Sometimes I question where you are and why you would allow such hurt. Forgive me for blaming you for my broken heart. Forgive me for not bringing my hurt to you sooner. Help me sense your presence here in the midst of my heartache and remind me of your comfort and faithfulness. Father, your Word tells me you will “heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.” I am bringing my wounded heart to you because I need healing. There is no one else who is able to heal, comfort and restore my brokenness. Thank you for your understanding and how you pour out blessings in abundance. I rejoice in you, my Healer and Restorer. I trust you to ease my heartache and give me renewed joy and hope. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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