Praying With a Broken Heart

Our home bible study group is going through a Bible study on Prayer right now. It is very interesting and amazing how sometimes something as simple as praying can make us so uncomfortable and so vulnerable at times.

Last night, one of the things that we talked about was how we can pray for the things going on around us. When we don't know what to pray about, it can be as simple as reading the newspaper headlines, or walking around our neighborhood and praying for things we see. Someone also brought up the quote, "Break my heart for what breaks yours." I have heard this a million times but I just never really thought about it in terms of my prayer life.

I am often saddened by the news, worried about the world, hopeful for my children's futures...etc. But, I really don't think I have ever let God "break my heart" like his is broken from all of my sins, and the awful sinful things happening today around the world.

So last night, I decided before going to sleep (at some horribly late hour might I add), that I would look at the news with new eyes and pray for the things happening around me. I wanted to pick something local, something nationwide, and something international and pray with my heart broken for the people.

Oh my.

What a night in the news. I was only on my phone for 15 seconds and had seen three different stories that took me down hard!

A local family who had fallen into a ravine at a State Park a bit south of us....and while five people had been pulled to safety, their two young boys, ages 6 and 9 were not found. 

A mass shooting in Orlando, Florida where over 50 people were killed and more than 50 others injured.

And horrible news about the suffering that is happening in Syria. 

We are tempted at times to turn away, not look at the pictures. But, somtimes it takes looking at those pictures and trying to put yourself there to let your heart be broken for the people in all of these places.

These stories could involve topics that we all may disagree on politically and the reality is, it doesn't matter what you think about homosexuality, or muslims, or ISIS, or gun control, or war, or what families choose to do on their Saturday. People are hurting and these are all people that God created. He loves them. We need to love them.

These are only three of the headlines that I saw as I skimmed articles last night and prayed, and prayed, and prayed  while I let God break my heart in a small sampling of a way that his is broken with each of these things.

Get on your knees. Pray alone, Pray with others. Gather together. We live in a time and place where, at the moment, we are still free to do that.

Surround these people with God's grace, His mercy, His love, His comfort and His care.

Let your heart be broken and know that each and every prayer is heard.

And, when your kids ask what those pictures are on the phone, computer, and TV. Don't just shrug them off. (I am also not telling you to try to let young children see and hear things that they cannot deal with on purpose...but it happens) Teach them to pray. And if they are scared, share this quote from Mr. Rogers that I have seen flying around on Facebook.

Because....there are a lot of evil things going on in the World today...and there always have been. But, there can be a lot of good too. 

So join with me and pray. Pray for the things we see going on around us. Pray for the people affected whether you know them or not. And let Jesus break your heart and heal it in a way that only He could possibly do. 

Share |