Rapha

There is two kinds of brokenness I want to talk about. 1) Holy brokenness 2) Worldly Brokenness

Holy Brokenness.

"Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken within me;
all my bones tremble.
I am like a drunken man,
like a man overcome by wine,
because of the LORD
and his holy words."
- Jeremiah 23:9

When praying lately I have started to ask God to break my heart over the things his heart breaks for. He has answered that prayer and continues to every day. I ached and broke when that junior higher told me he didn't want to be christian because he wanted to have sex before he was married. I ached and hurt when I learned that a beautiful girl I see every week cuts herself. My body physically, spiritually, and mentally hurts when I realize that have yet again I have sinned against the one God that will always love me.
I hope I never become numb to that realization. I think we do sometimes, I think family is a great example of this. All day long we give our very best to our colleges, peers, and the rest of the world... but then when we return home, to the people who love us most... they get whatever is left. The stress, the frustration, the anger, the complaints... it's all taken out on the ones we love most. Why? Because we know that they will always love us. If we were to act that way to our classmates... we would quickly loose popularity. I think we often do the same to God. We know he will forgive us, so it doesn't always bother us as much as it should when we continue to make the same mistake over and over. We can't let that become an excuse to become hard-hearted or to sin more.

Wordly Brokenness.

The world breaks me too, but not in a way that produces anything of value. It wears us down, it lies to us, and constantly tempts us without relent. The world tries to tell me that if that one mortal man doesn't want me... then that makes me less. How silly! God alone decides my worth!!! and he's already told us that we are worth more than pearls or rubies. But despite that reassurance we still ache don't we? It still hurts when a friend turns away from you. It still hurts to be rejected or ignored by a parent. There is hope though... God heals. He is Rapha. He is the healer.

"He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave."- Psalm 107:20

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."-Psalm 147:3

"Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."-Psalm 103:2-5

Let him heal you. :)