Have you ever had your heart broken? I have; it was a long time ago. Now before you go getting the wrong idea, let me quickly get to the point – have you ever had God break your heart?

Yes, God break your heart. Now I realize that may sound rather dramatic so let me explain.

Our spiritual heart is always under attack. The threat of spiritual heart disease is ever present. Guilt, anger, greed and jealousy are potent viruses that can paralyze our confidence, our human relationships, and our love for God. There is a way to keep our hearts healthy. Jesus showed us how on that day when he turned a boy's lunch into a miracle. Follow this series over the next few weeks and discover how to keep your spiritual heart healthy.

We will discover that Jesus takes people who are willing to learn and guides them towards health and vitality. It is a journey that involves opening our hearts to what seems impossible. It will also mean having God 'bless, break and bestow' our hearts for ministry. Though the breaking of our heart can be painful, when it is God who breaks our heart it is also God who provides the healing.

Open Your Heart to Learn

The 'having your heart broken' experience begins with a response. It is a response to a realization. We see this in Mark chapter six. We find there, that the people of the day were following Jesus in huge numbers. Even when He tried to escape the hordes for some 'time out' they had anticipated His movements and were already at His secret hideaway before He arrived there with His disciples. Why so eager? Why were they so desperate? What led to such a passionate response from so many people?

Mark writes that when Jesus saw the waiting multitude, "He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things." Mark 6:34. Jesus understood why these people craved His presence. He knew why they wanted to 'hang out' with Him. So He gave them what they needed. "The people listened to words of mercy from the Son of God, words that were as balm to their souls." Desire of Ages, E.G White p.244 Jesus understood that their need was a need of the heart.

Though they were not sure what it was that they needed they came to Jesus realizing that Jesus had answers for their deepest needs. Jesus began to open their hearts by teaching them truth – life transforming truth. They found out that the 'heart-breaking' procedure begins with learning some 'heart truths'.

Jesus has the answer for your every need. Choose to let Him open your heart. Jesus says to you today, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me...Learn the unforced rhythm of grace...keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30 The Message.

Open your heart to learn that only Jesus - yes only Jesus - understands your heart. Let Him teach you to live your life each day.

Open Your Heart for the Impossible

"How much food do you have?" Now there's a question. Whether you are a student who has forgotten to take your lunch to school and you are checking in with your mates, or a church lunch host who has just seen a bus load of visitors pull up in front of the church building. That day out in the country Jesus asked His disciples this question, "How much food do you have?" The disciples read straight between the lines ‐ 'Jesus wants us to feed these people.' Without a second thought, they concluded that the request was crazy; that it would be impossible.

The disciples had overlooked the fact that it was Jesus who was asking the question. Jesus who had turned water into wine, given a blind man sight, raised the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Nain from death to life. Jesus was asking His disciples to join Him in an impossible situation. What an offer. What an opportunity.

The question was not about food. The question was about faith!

"How much food do you have?" is not a logistics question. It is a faith question.

The question was not a matter of what was in their hands, but what was in their heart. In our hands is what we can or cannot do in our power. In our hearts is the ability to believe that God can provide the best for our every situation.

What impossible situation are you in right now? And by the way, 'how much food do you have?'

Open your Heart for the Impossible

Allowing God to break your heart is not the same as having a human relationship disappoint you deeply – no way. That is not God's way. When God breaks your heart His love will fill your broken heart with revitalizing truth. Your faith in Him will be restored as you accept that only He can turn your impossible situation into a life-transforming miracle. As Jesus receives the five loaves and two fish His next actions model and parallel what He himself is about to personally go through.

Imagine Jesus standing there with that boy's lunch in his hands [Mark 6:38]. His skeptical disciples and the hungry crowd quizzically watch Him as he looks to heaven in prayer. Jesus prays, as He does on the cross. He breaks the bread just as His own body is about to be broken at Golgotha. He passes out the bread just as His life is to be given for many. Jesus blesses, breaks and bestows the bread. His own life ('the bread of life') is blessed, broken and given for you and me.

When God breaks our hearts His blessing is on us. He then sends us out to be a blessing to others.

"The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite [repentant] heart, O God, you will not despise." Psalm 51:17

Why don't you let God break your heart today?