No Bowl of Cherries on Anyone’s Table

Ever had your heart crushed by a loved one who broke a promise? Or found that a dear friend wasn’t as trustworthy as you had been led to believe? Are you one of the millions in the work force who was promised that certain position – and then heard through the company grapevine that someone else – less qualified, already received it?

Yes? Well, join the Army of the Brokenhearted. A band of countless soldiers who have to keep marching to the drumbeat of Time – no matter how defeated and betrayed they feel.

But there is another army, the Army of Pain-Givers. And you and I are members of that army also. Because I sincerely doubt if there are any among us that can honestly say we have never been guilty of causing someone else to hurt from our actions. We human beings are notorious for our ability to be cold and callous to the needs of others. “Hey, if helping you is gonna affect me badly, it ain’t gonna happen. Sorry. Accept it and walk on.” And the receiver of that hard-hearted attitude is left to find a way to do just that. Walk on.

But remember, at the same time we’re also soldiers in the Army of the Brokenhearted. Why are we members of both armies?

Because hurt people hurt people.

There is only one who walked this earth who has never broken a promise. Only one in this life who does exactly what he said he would do. He never guaranteed there would be no pain. There was nothing promised about every hope and wish coming true. In fact, just the opposite. Broken hearts, heavy loads, and anxious fearful times were all mentioned in the Letter he left for us to read.

Here’s the difference between us and Him.

Jesus Christ made promises that He keeps. To stay right beside us through dark times of hopelessness and anxiety. To compassionately listen to our complaints when life breaks our heart, and to mend that heart when He knows it is time for us to move on. He never stated that we would never stumble, but He did promise He would be there to pick us up, dust us off, and encourage us to begin walking again.

So, why doesn’t He just keep all the horrible stuff away from us? After all, He is God! He has the power to fix everything, before it ever happens. Why does He let it all happen?

Simplistic answer? When sin entered into existence, pain was its ever-present companion. And because sin is an inescapable fact of life, there is no escaping pain either.

But we don’t have to soldier on all alone in this Army of the Brokenhearted. The Promise-Keeper is beside us, to encourage, mend, dust us off and send us marching again.

Life ain’t no bowl of cherries, we all know that. But He promises to help.