Woman to Woman: If Your Heart Feels Heavy

Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound.

Proverbs 25:20 NLT

I saw a lot of posts this week that said, "My heart is heavy." The news this week has been hard to bear. It's no wonder that our hearts feel heavy with all the bad things going on.

I'm offering you encouragement today in a way you may not expect. No, I'm not going to explain away the hard things with those out-of-context verses you've heard before. I want to encourage you with this proverb today.

God doesn't shame you for having a heavy heart. He knows this world is hard to bear. Think about how heavy Jesus' heart must have felt in the Garden of Gethsemane (see this passage). He knows what our heaviness feels like.

God doesn't take a stance of cruelty against our heavy hearts. He doesn't give us these things as punishment. When our hearts are heavy, he invites us to climb into his embrace and take shelter under his wings, out of his fatherly love for us.

If your heart feels heavy today, entrust it to the Lord. He has already invited you to come to him when you are weary and heavily burdened. He wants to give you the peace and rest that can only be found in his presence. May this prayer help you unburden your heart before him.

Father God,

I come to you with a heavy heart today.

So much bad news has worn me down this week.

But I know you understand how I feel.

You do not turn away from me when I am in need.

How wonderful you are to give me peace and rest when I am burdened.

I cry out to you with my fears, hurts and sorrows, Lord.

May your Holy Spirit intercede for me and lift me up.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Would you like me to pray for God to lift the heaviness in your heart? Please leave a comment below, and I'd be honored to pray for you.

Check out my Scripture-based prayer for Afghanistan to pray God's Word over some of the headlines from this week.