So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.     Nehemiah 1:4 NKJV

In our Scripture passage today, Nehemiah mourns over the destruction that has occurred in his hometown of Jerusalem. This destruction occurred because of the sinful and unrepentant behavior of the Jewish people. God had sent prophets to warn them they would be taken captive, and their city would be destroyed but they refused to listen.

Nehemiah is one of those captives serving the king as a cupbearer in the city of Susa. When he receives word of the condition of Jerusalem it made him very sad. So, he fasted and prayed. I can only imagine how helpless Nehemiah must have felt. But God saw his broken heart, heard his prayer and made a way for him to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls.

God still sees our hearts today. We are told that God looks at the heart in 1 Samuel 16:7. Jesus said in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Jeremiah 17:10 tells us God searches our hearts and rewards us accordingly. And Psalm 139:1-2 tells us God searches our heart and knows our intentions.

When our hearts are broken. God sees this and knows why they are broken. So, you may ask why do we need to pray about it if He already knows? I think the simplest answer to this is we need to pray because God gives us a choice. We can pray for His help, or we can strike out on our own to solve the problem. I just want to say that striking out on my own has never served me well.

We read about those who were taken captive in the Old Testament like Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They all face times of trial and tribulation during their Babylonian captivity. And each and every one of them remained faithful to the Lord. They sought Him continually and prayed to Him in times of trouble.

Sometimes God allows us to face these times of trouble to draw us to Him when we are in need of salvation. He may also use them to draw us back to him when we have strayed.

If you are dealing with a broken heart, give it to God. You are not alone. You can trust in Him to do what is best for you. He knows your struggles and what you are dealing with but even better than this, He knows your future. He knows what is best for you. So, who better to help you solve your problems. And best of all, He has the power to change things.

God sees your broken heart. He is right there with you. When your heart is breaking turn to Him.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:3-4, “Blessed is the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Gods got you. He is there for you. All you need to do is ask and He will take care of you. The same God that made the way for Nehemiah to return home to rebuild the walls is there for you. The same God that saved Daniel from the mouths of the lions will protect you (Daniel 6:22). The same God that saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:25, 27) will walk with you through the flood and the flame (Isaiah 43:1-2). The same God that saved Esther and the Jews from the cruel Haman is there to save you from whatever you are facing (Esther 7:10). Turn to Him today.

Have a great day!