Sometimes our hearts get to hurting and we don’t know where to turn. When our emotions are bleeding it’s easy to forget we have a Healer. It’s easy to run from the pain. My friend Suzie Eller is here today to remind us that we don’t have to run away. Jesus is inviting us to run to Him. Here’s an excerpt from her new book, The Mended Heart. And… there just might be a way for you to win a copy at the end of this post.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me. He has put His hand on Me to preach the Good News to poor people. He has sent Me to heal those with a sad heart. He has sent Me to tell those who are being held that they can go free. He has sent Me to make the blind to see and to free those who are held because of trouble.” Luke 4:18 (NLV)
“Why can’t you get it together?” “If you would just try harder.” Have you heard any of these statements? Maybe you’ve even said them to yourself. Perhaps those who stood on a hot hillside in Nazareth were asking themselves the same questions. Many tried hard to follow all the religious laws, but knew they fell short. Would Jesus give them more rules to follow? Imagine their surprise as Jesus spelled out His personal mission statement: I’ve come to open the eyes of the blind. I’ve come to set the prisoner free. I’ve come with good news for the poor in spirit. I’ve come to heal the brokenhearted. The crowd must have been shocked by His words, for they expected a warrior, not a heart surgeon. Jesus Himself was setting the record straight. He came so that we might be made whole … through Him. For those who had been trying harder, striving more, it was a transforming message. They were accustomed to following rules or meeting expectations of man, rather than resting in the power of their almighty God. When I became a believer, I didn’t understand Jesus’ mission statement. I was dealing with untended brokenness and trying everything to fix myself. When I grasped the power of Luke 4:18, this truth changed me: The power of the cross is not found in what I do, but in what has already been done for me. Jesus didn’t mean for us to do this alone. It’s not our strength or power that will transform us. Yes, we make changes. Yes, we open our broken heart to His tender touch. Yes, we allow Him to move us in uncomfortable directions to discover new paths — and leave old ones behind. But we are in a partnership with God … and He’s bigger. I also discovered I didn’t have to earn God’s love. Maybe, like me, you thought God would love you one day, when you had it all together. Jesus’ mission statement proclaims that He loves us today. With our baggage and hurting hearts. When we grasp that kind of love, it changes us. It compels us to return that love, and to trust Jesus from our hearts. This trust helps us listen for His voice. We sense when He is teaching or redirecting us. We weigh temptation in light of our love for our heavenly Father. This relationship helps us discover our “true selves, [our] child-of-God selves” (John 1:12, The Message). Last, Luke 4:18 reminded me that I didn’t have to run away just because I felt broken. A hurting heart can send us running down paths we may regret, searching for something or someone to ease our pain. Jesus’ mission statement invites us to stop running and rest in Him, expectant that our true selves will emerge with His healing touch. The truth of Luke 4:18 is ours today to hold close, for Jesus came to heal our hurting hearts. Dear Jesus, for the longest time I’ve been concentrating on my efforts, but today I expectantly rest in You. Thank You that the power of the cross is not in what I do, but in what has already been done for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Isn’t it such a relief to know you don’t need to fix yourself, or earn God’s love or run any more. In fact, the more we don’t do these things, the more we live in Him; the more we build a foundation of rest and trust; the more joy we rediscover in our faith and in our lives. What will you not do today? Click “Share Your Thoughts” below do just that to enter to win one of 5 copies of Suzie’s new book, The Mended Heart. If you are reading this via email, click here to return to my blog and be part of the giveaway. {Your comment has to be left below this post to enter. Thanks!}
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Growing up in a very dysfunctional family that thrived on drama, I started reading self-help books by age 27. I have gone through four marriages and finally discovered about 5 years ago that my relationship with Jesus has given me more comfort, and peace in my heart, than anything else I have ever chosen. I have discovered that developing a true personal relationship with Jesus is everything.
After walking with the Lord for many years, experiencing joy and comfort from his presence, even now I find myself going through times of emotional emptiness and brokenness. I think to myself how can this be? When I know the Lord and have this close, intimate relationship with him, how can I find myself in this state of discontent in life? and trying to figure out what I need to do different. So I hear God speaking to me through your blog here that I need to rest and trust in God’s power to transform me and to heal my brokenness and fill my emptiness.
A mended heart is what I pray for everyday. Mending from things I do to myself and things and hurts from the hearts and hands of others. I do believe in the healing power of Jesus and the constant maintenance of our hearts.
I would love a copy of this book. 🙂
He Loves Me! What freedom and what joy to know I am thoroughly utterly loved- and that nothing I do or have done can change that! His heart NEVER changes!
What a blessing your reminders have been!
I would love a copy of this book!
I am currently walking through a deep, dark valley of depression and it hurts. Any help would be great.
This blog post made me cry. I need mending.
Lord, thank you for sweet Shannon. Take those tears and turn them into hope. Thank you that there is no person beyond help, beyond healing, and beyond wholeness. Thank you for infusing hope into her heart today, and walking with her day by day. Thank you that she is loved and of value to You. In Your mighty and amazing name, amen.
Sounds like a beautiful book!
This Truth is so freeing – when my heart began to understand it & not just my mind – it was a HUGE aha moment I’ve been living in for the past 20 years – that no matter what I do or don’t do, God cannot love me any more nor will He love me any less – such freedom in choosing to walk in the Truth of what He did in sacrificing His life for mine! I am blessed to serve a risen Savior! Would love to have a copy of the book!
I could so use something like this besides praying for friends to come into my life.
I’ve had so much heartache/stress happen in the last 6 years. I need healed.
I’d love to win one of these copies to begin that journey.
Renee,
I have been blessed by your words. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Hugs and Halos
Mary
I suffer with depression. Some days it feels like it ids going to eat me alive.
Lord, I pray for Diana. I pray that she senses your love and compassion for her right where she is, but also that she knows that you will walk with her step by step out of depression and into life. Give her wisdom. Give her strength. Surprise her with moments in her day where she laughs in sheer joy and understands that it came from you. Remind her that things do and will get better and today is only one day, not her entire life. I pray that you will lead her gently to the source of depression, whether it is something within her chemistry or due to events or circumstances and lead her to wholeness and help. I thank you that you are so in love with Diana as your daughter and you cheer on her courage, her faith, and her tenacity as she honestly shares her struggles and her hope.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
For the last 3 years I’ve been at odds with my daughter. I have a beautiful grandson whom I’ve only seen twice in his short life of 2 years. After daily tears and heartache, I gave this situation over to God. There are times when I visit this situation and grieve but, I can’t let it get me down. God knows when the time will be right. When times are tough, as they are now, and things seem out of control it is not always easy to just put my hands up and say, “here God. You take this because I can’t fix it.”. It’s hard but I have to do it. It’s the only way things will get fixed. Would love a copy of this book for an extra bolster of faith.
This is so true. When I got divorced and was devastated everyone told me you are so strong, put on your big girl panties and you will be okay. Only four years later, I still feel broken. I pray all the time. What a wonderful book. It will benefit many.
Would love to win this book. I am going through a valley right now. Feel broken inside due to the sudden death of my mom. I would love to read this book and would definitely pass it on to the next person in need. Thank you.
All this week we are talking about healing in the midst of grief. Will you join me at http://www.tsuzanneeller.com?
This would be a great book to read up – to learn to live free and learn to help others be set free too.
Sure could use this book, not only for myself, but for some friends I am working with also.
I am hosting an online study with this book at my blog, so join in with me. I’d love to see you and your friends there. http://www.tsuzanneeller.com
I subscribe to “A Confident Heart” page on facebook. This message came exactly at the time that I need it. I have been in an intense period of unearthing the wrongs that have been committed against me as a child and how that led to a broken adult. I developed some coping mechanisms that have prevented me from being the wife and mother that I want so desperately to be. In speaking with my husband just today I didn’t realize that the I’m still affected by the abandonment of those from my past. But……I’m not discouraged, I am ever hopeful that God will point me towards the people and tools who will help me on my journey towards healing….
Definitely could use this book since nothing else seems to work and I’ve lost all hope and the phone line to God keeps getting disconnected cuz it seems like he doesn’t hear my cry…