Tag Archives: brokenhearted

Broken Things

Posted on July 23, 2018 by expressyourself4him

Since my wife’s father passed away in October, I have helped clean out two homes.  Most of the furniture was antiques, family heirlooms passed down over a couple of generations.  The only draw back to real wood is the weight, a chore to move up and down stairs.  Perhaps, this may explain why millennials have embraced modern appliances and houseware which is easily disposable.  When some thing breaks, you through it away, unattached to these temporary possessions.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken, Psalm 34:17-20.

Gorilla Glue was first sold to consumers in 1999.  Recent commercials portray this product as a life saver, able to fix, repair and stabilize broken things.  Previous items discarded by society are now given new life through this polyurethane adhesive.  Depending upon the condition of your household goods, you might wait months or year before a new replacement needs to be purchased.  Unfortunately, certain things like broken glass can’t be salvaged, sent to a local dump for its final resting place.

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

As I witness the current political climate in America, vicious words are spewed daily without any regard to the pain these insults might inflict.  Instead of reporting the news, cable news desks have turned into gossip sessions at a high school lunch table.  If human beings were made out of glass, the verbal rocks thrown would leave cracks, dents and scars from the impact.  Verbal sticks and stones do hurt, affecting hearts, minds and souls.  Those who endure an unhealthy amount of criticism will eventually suffer a crushed spirit, leading to soul spirit hurts.  Therefore, the next time you have an urge to verbally pile on someone being teased, drop the stone that you are carrying so your actions won’t leave a trail of broken glass.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt

Posted on April 22, 2018 by expressyourself4him

A friend who is a local pastor in Newark has a mantra that he repeats once a month, “hurt people hurt other people.”  Those who receive verbal attacks in the form of negative comments, put downs and sarcasm tend to build up resentment in their hearts.  At some point this frustration will boil over resulting in an emotional explosion.  This climate stunts one’s ability to love others on a constant basis.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, Isaiah 61:1.

Hurt people often wear emotions on their sleeves, sending out negative electricity when rubbed the wrong way.  Sadly, there are demented individuals who get their kicks by picking on someone until they explode.  This trend is made worse by social media sites which allow violent videos that gain attention or go viral.  In my mind, there isn’t anything funny about hurt people hurting others.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid, John 14:27.

Jesus has provided a solution to hurt people in the passage above.  To overcome hate, Jesus extended peace to first century citizens.  Since talk is cheap, Jesus lived out love, reaching out to children, the helpless, poor and sick.  Even when the disciples wanted to call it a day or night, Jesus offered his time to strangers every day.  Despite being falsely accused, sentenced to death and dying on a cross, Jesus loved like He was never hurt.  In view of this, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with strength so that love will not die.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Truth and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

The Anonymous People

Posted on March 31, 2018 by expressyourself4him

The 2013 film  the Anonymous People is a documentary about 23.5 million Americans living in long term recovery from drugs and alcohol.  According to Many Faces One Voice, the Anonymous People is a movement to change the perception of addiction is this country.  The content of this project spans nearly five decades, illustrating how the war on drugs actually hindered and stunted this groups progress.  Actress Kristen Johnston opens up about her battle with addiction, sharing her pain from personal encounters with Hollywood’s denial of this epidemic.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken, Psalm 34:17-20.

The Bible reveals God’s compassion on broken hearted people.  While there are many factors that result in bruised, crushed and wounded hearts, the Lord has a history of reaching out to desperate souls.  In biblical times, the diseased, ill and sick were cast outside of city limits, fearful healthy citizens would contract their ailment.  Similar to the fear of AIDS in the 1980’s, those stigmatized by society are fighting a losing battle.  Thus, its essential to turn the tide by beginning to change the hearts and minds of Americans with a convincing argument.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working, James 5:16.

The Bible and the road to recovery share a similar concept, confession.  Whether you are attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting or come to your spiritual senses, opening up is the first step toward healing.  The second Great Awakening in Great Britain arose out of young people standing up in front of a church to publically confess their sins.  This brave act compelled others to open up about their dark past.  The more individuals begin to share their own struggles, others will be inspired to do the same.  May this blog motivate you to step out in faith so that others can avoid the same mistakes others have made in their lives.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Friction and Frays

Posted on January 20, 2015 by expressyourself4him

A rope exposed to the elements is vulnerable to becoming worn or tattered along the edges.  When friction arrives, increased tension can further weaken strands.  Under extreme conditions, this cord can snap, causing permanent damage.

David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God. – 1 Samuel 30:6

Human beings have a lot in common with ropes.  The adventures in life can push individuals to their limits.  Stress added to any number of trials can cause people to become unwound, hanging on by a thread.  Thus, as friction and frays threaten to harm souls, something needs to be done to reattach these broken fibers.

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

If you ever feel like you’re coming apart at the seems, call out to the One who can weave you back together, Isaiah 41:10.  Jesus didn’t promise that life was going to be easy.  Rather, as storms develop, God has given us a solid rock to stand on when earthly foundations are washed away, Matthew 7:24.  Therefore, as friction continues to pose a threat, fraying parts of your soul, hold on to Jesus so that in God’s perfect timing, you will be made whole.

by Jay Mankus

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Truth and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.