HOW TO MEND A BROKEN HEART

The leading cause of heart disease today is what we contribute to our own health. Lack of exercise, smoking, poor eating habits, and obesity are a few of the causes of a sick heart. After years of abuse, the heart cannot function properly, and we suddenly need medical attention. Often, a surgeon must perform open-heart surgery to clean out the toxins and make us healthy again. Our job is to care for ourselves by implementing an after-care plan of physical fitness.

The same process applies to our hearts spiritually and emotionally. Suppressed anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, resentment, and lack of conflict resolution are some of the ways we poison ourselves. Any type of addiction (drugs, alcohol, food, or relationships) can also stifle our spiritual and emotional growth. Over the years, as these things take control over us, they cloud our minds and our emotions. In turn, we lose the ability to make sound choices and handicap our ability to love in healthy ways.Just as we depend on the knowledge and experience of our doctor to perform heart surgery, we must also depend on God's love and healing to perform spiritual surgery. In both cases, we must trust the surgeon and let him or her make the necessary changes. What is our part in the healing process of our damaged emotions? We suggest five biblical principles for healing:
1. Look At Your Past Hurts Honestly
Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. - Galatians 5:1

2. Be Willing To Be Healed Of The Hurt
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. - Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT)

3. Accept The Part You Played
You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. SO no more stumbling around. Get on with it! - Ephesians 5:8

This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and wont come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is. - John 3:19-21

4. Be Willing To Learn How To Forgive Yourself And Those Who Hurt You
Stop judging others and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving - large or small - it will be used to measure what is given back to you. - Luke 6:37-38 (NLT)

Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, and criticize their faults - unless of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. - Matthew 7:1-2

Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront your neighbors directly so you will not be held guilty for their crimes. Never seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. - Leviticus 19:17-18 (NLT)

At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, 'Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?' Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven." - Matthew 18:21-22

5. Be Willing To Accept God's Forgiveness

...Thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He's set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating. - Colossians 1:12-14

If we admit our sins - make a clean breast of them - He won't let us down; He'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. - 1 John 1:9

There is much misunderstanding about forgiveness. You may feel that to forgive someone who has hurt you deeply somehow validates the person's actions or that it demeans you. If you feel it is impossible to forgive those who hurt you deeply, please keep an open mind and heart about God's ability to change your perspective. We have seen God perform many miracles in the lives of participants of this process.

**Taken From "Healing Past Emotional Hurts" - By Tammy Sevison and Lon Garber. Copyright 1998 by Snowbabies, Inc. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from "The Message." Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.