For the broken-hearted.

"The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can’t supply is proof that Heaven must be our home." -CS Lewis

Have you ever been so exhausted..mentally, physically, emotionally that you feel like you can't really even find the words to say when you're praying? 

One of my favorite songs is a prayer that says "Heal my heart and make it clean.
Open up my eyes to the things unseen.
Show me how to love like You have loved me. Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause..As I walk from nothing to eternity."

Lately there are things on my heart that I have no control over: the souls who refuse to accept the gospel or anything to do with it, one of my precious little one's who is brilliant, wild and free- My mini me who can't sit still to save his life but starts kindergarten in one week. My type A/future CEO who is also brilliant, but stresses things far beyond her years. 

Then there are the things that come with being a single mother that get the best of me. Moments when I'm lying in bed alone and the long day is over. When I'm too exhausted to sleep and begin to replay moments I wish could have gone differently or wish could be understood by the misconceived perceptions of onlookers, struggles my children face that I hope will only make them stronger and more compassionate. 

I'm quickly reminded in these circumstances:

Sometimes all you can do is ask God to search your heart, trust that he hears you; and even though you can't find the words to speak you can know that He will hear your heart's deepest desires, he will answer according to His will, and work all things together for your good. 

Romans 8:26-28  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

The night is creeping into the wee hours of the morning. 

My heart was breaking for things that are out of my control and was so heavy as I laid my head down but I remembered this verse:

Matthew 11:28-29  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

In a literal sense, the word ‘Yoke’ means a bar of wood constructed to unite two animals (usually oxen), enabling them to work in the fields, drawing loads, pulling instruments used for farming. 

In the Bible, it is figuratively used as a symbol. 

As a follower of Christ, it's so easy to be burdened and get caught up in the mindset of taking on the world but sometimes we can't and we don't always have to. 

Jesus wants to break our hearts for what breaks his, but more importantly he wants us to know that he's humble in heart and there's nothing that we can't come to him with. Even in all our sinful, selfish, often prideful ways- or nights when our hearts are heavy and we are burdened with things in this world, we can come to him, lay it all down at his feet and rest our weary soul. 

Life is not always in our control, but it is in the hands of a God who is sovereign and who's plan is so much greater than our own. 

We can trust that the yoke of Jesus Christ is easy and his burden won't weigh us down. 

Life may not go as smoothly as we hope or in the timely manner we desire; but we can trust in the hope of Jesus Christ and the God who works all things together for the good of those who love him. 

In that hope we can find rest.