In the early ‘80’s I often sang the song, “Give Them All to Jesus”
as special music at church services. Part of the refrain urges us to give our “shattered
dreams, wounded hearts, broken toys” to Jesus, because He can turn our “sorrow
into joy”.
This past week I had conversations with two young people whose dreams have been shattered and hearts wounded. Like the shards of a broken mirror, their hopes for what would happen in their lives have been dashed into unrepairable pieces. And they are hurting.
It’s too soon to say to them, “It will be okay. You’ll get past this. Everything happens according to God’s plan.” One day they will come to know the truths behind those statements, but today isn’t that day.
What do we do when our loved ones dreams are shattered, and their hearts wounded? Romans 12:15 says we are to show empathy—we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. God wants us to understand and share the feelings of others. It is what Jesus offers us, and what we should strive to cultivate and express. John 11:35 says, “Jesus wept.” Even though Jesus knew how things would eventually turn out, He wept with Mary and Martha over the death of their brother.
We have all faced shattered dreams. We have all endured wounded hearts. In the moment, we feel like a young child whose favorite toy has been broken. As children, what did we do when that happened? We would take out broken toy to someone we trusted to fix it.
And that is the best way we can help those whose dreams have been shattered, whose hearts have been wounded, whose “toys” have been broken. We can ask Jesus to give them new dreams, to heal their wounds, and repair their toys.
When the moment is right, we can also gently suggest they themselves pour out their hearts to Jesus—to be honest with Him, whether it is in sadness, anger, disappointment, or hopelessness. He loves and cares for us. He understands. And He has the power to heal, to mend, to make new.
Be encouraged!
