Hurt Heart, Need Comfort

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. . . . Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:1, 28-31

My heart hurts. Last night I went to bed upset about something, and this morning I awakened with the same splinter lodged in my heart. I’m sure you know what a hurt heart feels like! I think I’d trade this ache for a broken bone any day. At least then I could go to a clinic and get medical attention. Being assured that the healing process was in motion would ease my anxiety, knowing how and when that bone would be restored.

We can look at a physical injury and assess what it will take to mend it, and we can use X-rays or other diagnostic imagery to figure out what’s wrong. But hurts of the heart are often invisible and difficult to diagnose, much less to heal. Even counseling has its limitations for healing.

Only God can reach down into a person’s heart and bathe it with cleansing balm that cleans out the cut—whether it’s small or gaping—to bring comfort. No human therapy can thoroughly remove emotional pain and replace it with wholeness like God can.

Every emotion that we can ever feel and every hurt we can ever imagine has been experienced by Jesus. He comforts us throughout His Word by reminding us of His presence and plan for restoring us.

Isaiah 40 is packed with Jesus’ healing balm for our wounds. Go to the everlasting God, the Creator of the earth and of every human heart, for comfort that only He can give.

Hurt heart, need comfort? Open your Bible to Isaiah 40 and read about God’s comfort for hurting hearts.