Sophomore Ryan Kay sits alone on a bench surrounded by Valentine’s colored confetti. Samuel Alex shares his opinion, encouraging those who are healing from heartbreak. | Grant Walter/THE CHIMES[file photo]

Heartbreak consumes our generation. From sitcoms and movies to books and magazines, heartbreak is an issue that does not escape us. Unfortunately, for the most part, our culture invites the emotionally distressed to simply mask the pain. Pressuring those who have been hurt to “get over it,” “move on” or “toughen up” lessens the seriousness of the hurt that has taken place, forcing them to quickly try to forget what happened at the end of a relationship, never allowing them to truly heal.

Don’t mask previous pains

Due to this inevitability, I want to argue that you are more broken than you think you are due to the past relationships that you have been in. Consequently, you naturally run to things and people to mask your pain. This is more evident in the secular world and is clearly seen in people’s reliance on drugs, alcohol and various sources of busyness that disguise and numb the pain. But still, in the Christian realm, while drugs and alcohol are not always our first options — though sometimes they are — there are a variety of things we continue to run to and busy ourselves with to desensitize ourselves and bury the sorrow. But we do not have to hide from our emotions. We do not have to run from the pain. There is healing, and there is life — praise Christ.

By the cross of Christ, we are given the ability to not ignore heartache, shove it down, numb ourselves to it or even fear it. But instead we can embrace it, work through the unfortunate mess and experience healing. Most of our culture fears hurting emotionally; they run away from it and minimize its feeling. But when we ignore the pain and numb ourselves to it, we become unaware of the effects of not only the heartbreak itself, but also of the emotional scars inflicted on us throughout the relationship. It is only when we open the door to our own heartbreak that we see the true damage we have been dealt. Only after we enter into the pain can we welcome in authentic healing.

Building up authentic hope

The constant redeeming love and grace of Jesus strengthens our hearts with hope in the midst of the brokenness and hurt of our own lives, softly beckoning us to enter into our hurt-filled pasts. Though we hesitate at the thought of re-experiencing the grief, through Christ we can fearlessly venture back into the moment of affliction, fully embrace the heartbrokenness and not lose hope.

Our brokenness can never overcome us because the infinite love of God through Christ will never leave nor forsake us in our distress. For we see in Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Though I wish I could tell you specifically his methods of doing this, I cannot; but, he will meet you in your hurt, and he will see you through.