Hiding Behind the Walls

I hear the stories all of the time. These are always stories of despair, of sadness, of depression, and of hopelessness. Never are these stories ones of love (unless that love has been taken away), or of hope (unless that hope has turned to hopelessness) or of life and joy and peace (unless, again, these things have been torn away from them).

I am writing of the stories of heartbreak - stories of people who once knew love, but then felt the stinging shock of rejection; stories of people who once had their heart so wrapped up in a person that when that person suddenly walked away or was taken from them, their heart was shattered to pieces; stories of people who once knew the life of love and joy and peace and hope, but have now turned to depression and disbelief and doubt because of circumstances in their lives that have proved to them that this life of love and joy and peace doesn't truly exist (or perhaps it does for some, but certainly never for them).

These people live their lives behind walls - and not just behind them, but surrounded by them. These are high, thick, heavy walls that cannot easily be penetrated. They are walls of resentment, of distrust, of caution - and sometimes, of bitterness. For these people, it is easier to hide behind these walls of "safety" than to risk loving and being loved again. For these, it seems the best choice to live behind these walls than to risk walking out and being hurt and broken all over again.

Perhaps you know these stories that I am talking about; perhaps these stories are your own. Maybe you could re-read what I have just written and replace the word "people" with "myself" and "their" with "my" and "them" with "me." Wherever you are at in life, I am writing to declare a truth that has been declared before and will be declared again. I say it with an urgency and a passion, straight from my heart to yours: there is hope. And there is only hope because we have a Great Lover of our souls. His name is Jesus.

Jesus tells me that He loves me and He proved it that while I was still doing wrong against Him, He died for me (Romans 5:8). He tells me that in Him, I can find rest (Matthew 11:28). Jesus invites me to come to Him, with all of my anxieties (that includes all of my burdens and fears and heartaches), and cast them on Him (1 Peter 5:7). Jesus tells me that I have hope - eternal hope (Proverbs 23:18). He tells me that it is impossible for me to be forever alone (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus tells me that He knows the plans that He has for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and that those plans are higher than my own (Isaiah 55:8,9). Jesus tells me that He is sufficient; He is enough (2 Corinthians 12:9).

And Jesus can be trusted. He bids us come to Him - with our broken hearts and all. In Jesus, there really are no broken hearts - only broken sinners needy of a Savior, who heals us and delivers us and makes us whole.

I wonder if more people knew this Truth if there would be less broken hearts and more hearts being satisfied in Him? It's a glorious thought, for the outcome of a whole heart in Christ is a glorious life - both for the glory of His Name and the futherance of our joy.