What to Do When Your Heart is Heavy

Yesterday, I found myself wanting to eat away my woes. My heart is heavy, and my soul is tired, and I wanted to, as I did in the past, stuff my face with sweets or comfort food. I caught myself before it got that far, but the temptation was there all night. I went to my youngest son’s baseball game, and it felt like I was dragging him down (it turns out, I wasn’t at all, but that’s what a heavy heart does to you). Loved ones, when your heart is heavy, the world seems bleak. We have an enemy of our souls who wants to drag us in to the pit of despair, and make us believe that there is no hope. Don’t believe it!

My heart is still heavy. Tears still form in my eyes, but I am comforted. In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul speaks of his own hard moments:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

For we do not want you to be unaware, broth

ers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 1:3-11)

We are allowed to go through trials so we can learn to rely on God, and be comforted by His presence. This strengthens us! It strengthens us, so that, not only will we be comforted in our distress, should we survive the ordeal, we will have the strength, through Christ, to strengthen and comfort others! THIS is what we do with a broken and heavy heart. We rely on God. We allow the comfort of the Father to fill us, we take comfort from brothers and sisters, and we, in turn, use that comfort to comfort others. Sorrow will last for the night, but His joy comes in the morning. Fix your eyes on Christ. Depend on Christ. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Rejoice in the Lord, and with all prayer and supplication make your requests be known to God. And watch as peace beyond understanding, even in tears and trials, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Philippians 4:4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.