Why? Christian help for aching hearts

Why did I …?

Why didn’t I …?

Why did they …?

Why did it …?

Why did God …?

When your heart is aching this one word may well press down on your soul. Deep down you realise you will probably never know the answer to the question that is haunting you.

Two women walked by a harbour. A Christian was there offering a small booklet about the Lord Jesus. “Oh, I think this is a most inappropriate time.” said the mother, “My son has just died, and we have come here to try to get over it.” The Christian answered, “I don’t think it is inappropriate. The Bible not only calls God ‘The God of our Salvation’, but also ‘The God of all comfort’. Those who come to know Him as their Saviour, go on to know Him as the one who comforts them in their distress.”

Our friends may sympathise, our family may support, but where can we go for comfort? Is it out of place to point people back to God when their hearts are breaking with sorrow? If it isn’t inappropriate — why not?

• A first reason is – there is no comfort in blaming ourselves.

We have all said things that should never have even lodged in our hearts, let alone be spoken. We have all neglected care and love to someone, but it brings no comfort, only a further torture to ask, “Why ever did I say it?” or “Why didn’t I just do” whatever it was, “and now it’s too late?”

• There is no comfort in blaming others.

 There is also no peace in having harsh or angry thoughts about others. Bitterness and resentment are poor comfort – they only make things worse. Perhaps someone has been insensitive. Perhaps people have not understood how deep your feelings have been. Some of those thoughts may be justified, but they do not carry comfort into the soul.

• There is also no comfort in blaming God.

If there is a God He must be all-powerful. He could have done anything He chose to do. Yet we live in a world that is away from God. It ignores God, except to blame Him when pain comes. There is also evil not only in the world around us; it is also deep within us. Frustration, tragedy, loss and grief are part of the fabric of our lives. Through them God tells us again and again that things are not right in the world or in us. He does however treat us better than we deserve. He is not capricious and vindictive. His evident goodness to us through most of our lives should lead us back to Himself to want to know Him, but does it? When trouble comes, if we do not know God as our Saviour and Friend, it seems that He is so far away.

• There is comfort in trusting God.

There is comfort for an aching heart. It is found in the God who made you. It is found in the God who loves this poor sad world. It is found in the God who has permitted all your problems to come to you.

The first great comfort for any person is the comfort of forgiveness for all of our sins.

God has demonstrated His love. He is not out to destroy us. He is not a vindictive aggressor. He is love. The greatest act of His love was the giving of His own Son, the Lord Jesus to die for sinners. Because of His sorrow and suffering on the cross all our sins can be forgiven – careless words, neglected acts of care. All can be forgiven when we turn back to God and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come and remove our sin and wash it completely away.

There is great comfort to a troubled conscience in this.

Heaven is opened to our soul for time and eternity. Christ draws near to us to help us live. We are able to pick up the pieces of our broken dreams and hopes. The Christian has a wonderful Friend in His Saviour, who helps through such times.

There is a second great comfort for any aching heart, after they have come to know the comfort of forgiveness.

Someone once said, “It’s better experienced than explained.” The Bible describes it as “peace that passes all understanding”.

Because sin keeps us from this comfort it has to be dealt with first. Then we are told there is a way to obtain this peace in our grief.

In the New Testament you will find a book called Philippians, and in chapter 4 verses 6 and 7 we are told that in our turmoil and distress we should find a place for prayer. We should be real before God, talking to Him, asking Him, for what you need, thanking Him for all He is and has done. Our own need will determine what we say. It is after this as we learn to trust Him in our distress and grief that the peace which cannot be described or understood by those who are away from God will come and keep us calm. It is like ointment on a wound. God binds up the broken heart. God Himself comforts those who have received His forgiveness and love in the Lord Jesus Christ.

These are not empty words. They have been proved again and again by Christians who have passed through times of the deepest sorrow. That is why I can urge you now to turn to God — to turn away from sin and to ask Him to save you, to change your sinful heart and then to comfort your aching heart.

If you would like to speak with someone after reading this please firstly email us here