PSALM 32:8
Many nights I have cried myself to sleep, wishing I could stop the stinging pangs within my heart. Having your heart broken is an experience a lot of us have probably had. I wish that we could just wrap our arms around each other and cry together. How do we move past the rejection and the bitter pain? I think it honestly starts with something simple. We must run to Jesus and share our pain with Him. Another part is encouraging each other, because most of us are having similar experiences in relationships and in life. We were created to love and to long for our love to be returned. But I know for me it is easy to look for that love from someone who doesn’t really care for me or who can never completely satisfy my heart. There are so many other ways to use our emotions and gifts, besides obsessing about guys, like spending time with people, reading good books, or developing friendships with people who are lonely. The pain of crying myself to sleep those nights with a broken heart cannot be forgotten, but I am beginning to learn from it. Difficult experiences of many kinds refine our hearts, bringing us into closer communion with God, and helping us relate to others facing similar adversities. Recently, I began to pray, “Lord, please use the tough things in my life to help me love and encourage others.” That is a prayer that Jesus will answer, if we are willing.
Jessica Runk, 19, Patrick Henry College, Purcellville, VA
Lord, I want to pray what Jessica prayed:
Please use the tough things in my life
to help me love and encourage others.