Ordinary Man, Extraordinary God

Healing a Broken Heart

“He is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3.

In January of 1995, I went through my second divorce. The reality of the divorce was devastating to me. I recall the day my attorney called to tell me that the judge had approved the divorce. I was sick at heart to say the least.

Now I had been divorced twice and my self-esteem was about as low as it could be. Who would ever want me again after a track record like that?

Those early weeks after going through the divorce were mostly just a blur. I was so distraught that I could not remember all of the details of what I was supposed to do to get ready for work. I literally had to write on a piece of paper the simplest of tasks; shave, take a shower, put on deodorant, get dressed, eat breakfast, get your briefcase, etc. And other tasks like bringing in the mail, stopping on the way home from work to pick up a few groceries, pay bills and so forth didn’t happen as automatically as they used to. And then there was work. Trying to stay focused there when I all wanted to do was go home and go back to bed was taxing.

Back in those days, we were having monthly counselors’ meetings at our church. Pastor Reita, the wonderful saint who founded the counseling center, used to have us stand in a circle at the end of the meeting and she would pray for each and every one of us while anointing us with oil. Reita knew the pain and emotional upheaval I was going through as well as anyone; better than most.

When it was my turn to be prayed for, she made the sign of the cross on my forehead with the oil before ever saying a word of prayer. As she did, I was “slain in the Spirit” as we charismatics say – in other words I fell backwards to the floor. Thankfully someone was standing behind me and caught me as I went down under the power of the Holy Spirit.

I lay on the floor for about thirty minutes. In the meantime, everyone went home except Pastor Reita who remained in an attitude of prayer on my behalf. While I lay on the floor, I watched a sort of open heart surgery being performed. The Lord was giving me the privilege of watching Him bring a miraculous and life-changing healing to my emotional heart.

During the vision, I saw that my heart had been opened up and I could see the inside of it. Some of the flesh looked black, torn and dead. I watched a hand that was holding a piece of broken pottery scrape away all of the blackened, dead tissue.

Job 2:7 tells us that Satan was allowed by God to afflict Job with painful boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. And it goes on to explain that he used a piece of broken pottery to scrape away the dead flesh. That was exactly what was happening to me by the hand of an angel, or the hand of God Himself or perhaps even the hand of Job. Someday I will find out who the kind soul was that performed my open heart surgery that blessed night.

I finally got up off the floor and thanked Reita for staying and interceding on my behalf. As I drove home, I knew something amazing had happened to me. But I didn’t fully understand the extent of the healing that had taken place.

The next morning, I sat up and lowered my legs over the side of the bed. When my feet hit the floor, I knew I was a new man! My mind was clear and my body was stronger than it had been in a very long time – since before the stress of going through the divorce. I immediately started shouting the praises of Him who had lovingly touched me and healed me.

I wish we all could say that we have received an instantaneous emotional healing like I did that glorious night. And I wish that I could say that I have had other, equally miraculous healings of emotional and spiritual issues. But I haven’t in that way. Most of the healings I have received have come in the context of relationship. They have come as the body of Christ has gathered around me and loved me with the love of Christ. Even this miraculous healing took place as my mentor and friend, Pastor Reita, touched me with her finger and touched me with her heart.

Look at the words of Revelation 22:1-2:

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

Dear reader, we are “the leaves of the tree” that “are for the healing of the nations.” You and I have been called to carry one another’s burdens and to minister to one another’s needs. The overwhelming majority of healing that takes place in the church is delivered by God through the body of Christ. Most of the time, He chooses to heal our wounded spirits and broken hearts through the love, the touch, the encouraging words, the prayers and the generosity of other Christians.

On that particular night, an ordinary man was healed by an extraordinary God. And praise the Lord; I have had the distinct privilege of being used as an instrument of healing for other believers and nonbelievers alike. What a joy it is to be used of God in this way. And many others have been used to bring healing to me.