Bruised Heart

Some words just go together.

Graceful. Elegant. Dorinda. Poised.

Okay. I was just dreaming. Those of you who know me best are probably laughing right now. Queen of the Clutz - I relish in my title! Ha! Sometimes you just know who you are!

Anyway, I was thinking today about bruises. I, the graceful one that I am (not), have had my share. Let's see, there's the concussion from running into a coke machine...... (emmmhummm- you heard me right), then there is the nasty black eye/head from a head on collision with the cross during an Easter Drama.

The Easter drama facial discoloration was a sight to behold. My husband and I went to the Mall and you should have seen the looks he received from passers by. I felt like wearing a sign that said, "No- My husband did not do this to me!" But I didn't because then I would have to say, "I ran into the cross!"

My point is, I know a thing or two about bruises. The one from the cross, (there is no spiritual application with the cross here) started on my forehead - a goose egg. It was just a little blue at first. It then moved across my face. Before the week was over, my eye and face turn a lot of beautiful colors - and then some really yucky ones. Before it healed completely, the bruise had been at least 20 shades of blue, purple, black, crimson, green, and yellow. The last color spot was not anywhere near the "bumped" place.

The bruised spot hurt massively when I collided with the enormously heave cross. I actually saw stars and almost passed out. After that, it was very sore to the lightest touch. I was very sensitive and extremely careful not to let anything come close to my "boo-boo".

Bruised hearts are not much different. Mind you, not a broken heart, but a bruised heart. I believe that every woman has a bruised heart at one time or another. No matter how happily married or how strong of a Christian, we all deal with bitter disappointments and hurts. We live in an imperfect world where people hurt one another, intentionally or not.

I have talked to many women with a bruised heart. Their stories are all different, but the outcome was the same. An unexpected blow to an unprotected area of the heart caused an immediate pain. Sometimes it can be so severe that we almost lose our footing and meet the ground. After that initial pain comes the extreme sensitivity to even the lightest touch- even if that touch is for the purpose of healing.

The bruised heart goes through many colors of emotion. Blue with sadness. Black with anger. Purple with passion. Green with hurt. Yellow with slow recovery.

What does God say about a bruised heart? Isaiah 53 says Jesus was bruised for us. Click to read:

http://www.studylight.org/desk/?
The word for bruised here is actually speaking of a crushed spirit, a bruised heart. The actually meaning of this Hebrew word is shown when you click here:

http://www.studylight.org/lex/heb/view.cgi?number=01792

If you have a bruised heart today, please know that Jesus took that for you! He offers you hope, healing and restoration. Isaiah 61 says He trades our bad stuff for good stuff! I don't know about you, but I want the good stuff!! I want the joy and gladness and the beauty!

Oh my goodness! There is so much more I could write about this subject but I have "mommy" things to do. I love you all, and my hearts prayer is that you find your happiness in Jesus! If you are bruised hearted today, don't expect anyone else to meet the needs of your heart, til your heart has been satisfied and saturated in the Master's love!