The handsome guy in the photo above blessed our lives for ten years. We said goodbye to him this week. Our hearts are broken. There will never be another cat like Watson. The vets described him as “spicy”, and he could be quite a handful at times, but with us he was the most loving cat we have ever known.
People have their hearts broken for many reasons—the breakup of a relationship, the betrayal of a friend, the death of a loved one, and many others we don’t realize or understand. Losses break our hearts.
God’s Word says in Psalm 147:3: "God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." God is compassionate. He cares for those who are suffering emotionally and spiritually. He knows what it is to be heartbroken. The first people He created and cared for chose disobedience over a relationship with Him—and we continue to do so today. God the Father gave His Son to heal that broken relationship, and yet many still reject Him. Isaiah 53:3 describes Jesus as “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.”
I know that the loss of a spouse, a child, a parent, a life-long friend, or a much-needed job is deeper and holds more serious consequences than the loss of a pet. But no matter the level of our loss, God understands the heartbreak. He understands and He cares.
God reaches out to us with healing and encouragement in every way possible—a hug from a neighbor, the listening ear of a friend who has been through the same kind of loss, a sympathetic word in a card or a text, the promise of prayers from fellow believers, an unexpected visit, the delivery of flowers or a dessert. God reminds us of His love and presence through the hands and voices of others, as well as through His Word and His Spirit.
Be encouraged!
©2025 Pamela D. Williams
