I heard the rumble of a car engine, turned and saw a blue boat of a car inch behind the line of cop cars. “Looks like Grandma is here,” I said. I blew the pink flower off my hand, watched it float and land, wished I could float away too.
Emily – Sticks and Stones
Do you ever wish, like Emily, that you could simply float away from the things in life that are too much? At this point in the story, Emily has been hit with a lot. She hasn’t even had enough time to process it all. She just knows none of it is good, and she wishes there was an escape route, an emergency exit that would take her away from her circumstances and make her feel safe again.
Life has a way of doing that sometimes – feeling heavy, overwhelming, like more than we can handle. We all have those moments, some for a short while and some for far too long. But in those times, when life feels like too much and there’s no way out, God promises to be close.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
Let those words soak in for a bit. He is CLOSE when our hearts are broken. HE is the emergency exit for our weary, sad, or scared hearts. He will rescue us. This doesn’t mean the situation will magically go away. But, he will help our brokenness. He will help and heal.
I think one of the most difficult things about being in the midst of difficulty is the isolation and loneliness it can stir up. We can feel as if we’re either the only ones going through something so terrible or the only ones who can’t handle it. We might look at others and think they have it all together, everything is fine, so what is our problem?
But, in truth, everyone is fighting something, everyone needs help getting through it, and everyone has access to the escape route of God’s love and power.
Reflect/Journal/Pray:
What feels heavy today? What do you wish you could escape? In what situation do you need to remember that God is right there with you? Talk to God about it, write to him in a journal.
Read Psalm 34:18. But, don’t just read it. Picture what it actually means. Picture God so close to you, and repeat those words. Tell yourself something like “God is close. God will rescue my crushed spirit. He will mend my broken heart.” Write these words down. Illustrate or color them while you reflect on them.
Rewrite Psalm 34:18 as a prayer, asking God to help you remember he is close when you feel sad about (fill in your hurt). Ask for his wisdom, discernment, love, comfort, peace. Thank him for rescuing your crushed spirit, for helping you through (fill in your difficult situation).
Remember:
Speak Psalm 34:18 or the words that he is close, he is healing your broken heart, he is rescuing your crushed spirit, as often as you need, all day long, over and over if necessary. You can never hear them enough. Remember that this is not a magic pill, it’s not an escape route where you will actually float away as Emily says she wishes she could do. But the more you remind yourself that he is there, the more you will feel his peace, the kind that passes all understanding whatever comes your way.
More verses to look up and reflect upon:
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
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