There it was glaring out from the computer screen. The words I never thought I would see. I had been so confident in this and believed it was what God had wanted. For a moment I could not breathe. “I don't think I can do this anymore" I couldn't read the rest. The tears suddenly gushing down my face had obscured my vision. That email shattered my dreams. My heart, that had thought God wanted this, and would never let this happen, crumbled into pieces.
Maybe this has happened to you. You feel so sure that God has given you this chance, you pray about it and you really feel that God is telling you to go for it. Then it doesn't happen. It can happen with many things,whether it is a relationship, career path, academic degree, status symbol, or to-do list we are determined to complete. And if we really believe it is what God wants, and then it doesn't work out it can feel like our World is tumbling down and our hearts become heavy.
Why does God break our hearts?
1. Because our hearts lead us astray.
Humans are very goal oriented…. It is how we make it through the day. So when God gives us a future goal, we work toward that point as if our life depended on it (because we think it does). And somewhere along the way, the goal can become our god. And God becomes an afterthought that we occasionally ask to bless our efforts. And just like that, our hearts have led us astray. “The heart is deceitful…who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
2. Because God is a jealous God.
Often, the goal becomes our God. We make it into an idol and organize our life in worship to it. That relationship, career path, academic degree, status symbol, or to-do list we are determined to complete, when that goal becomes the ruling authority in our lives, it is an idol. And God is a jealous God. He wants to be number one in our hearts and lives. Because He is God – that is His right. That goal or list may be your security blanket, but it is powerless to save you from the sentence of your own sin. “You shall have no other gods before me…for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.” (Exodus 20:3-5)
In breaking our hearts, God is rescuing us from ourselves. God breaks our hearts, not to hurt us or because He enjoys our pain! God breaks our hearts when we have become so focused on some goal, rather than on Him. He breaks our heart because it is the only way He can save us from ourselves. He breaks our heart because it is the only way to remove a dream that is not best for us.“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
4. Because God is seeking a relationship
When I finally stopped crying, I remembered that God had set me on this path, but had not promised the endpoint. In my itty-bitty human mind, taking a path only had one outcome - reaching the goal. But God is not bound by my small-mindedness. He guided me to work toward the goal, but He never promised I would achieve it, I just assumed “For my thoughts are not your thought declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8) Many times God may lead us down a certain path toward an unknown door. We, of course, are focused solely on the door at the end of the journey. When we reach the end, we may find that the door is locked. We may be distracted by the human goal, but God was leading us toward an eternal goal – a closer relationship with Him.
So, what do you do when God breaks your heart?
When God breaks your heart….hand Him the pieces.
Because He is good and trustworthy and He will always do the best thing. God is good, and even though my dream is dead, my heart rests securely in the arms of my Savior. Looking back, I see now that God had to break my heart to remove that dream so that He could guide me to a far better dream. God was acting in my best interest, even thought it hurt. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” (Prov. 3:5 - 6)
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