Live Happy … Today – Day 18

Several readers asked me to write something about living happily amidst loss or a broken heart.

An American Navy veteran with three tours to the Middle East; a six-year-old girl who recently learned to swim; and a man who would later on shield his girlfriend and her brother with his own body against deadly bullets. These are only three of the many deceased people who arrived at the packed movie theatre for the midnight screening of the 2012 Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado in America – not knowing it would be their last movie.

About half an hour after the film began, the 24-year-old James Holmes entered the theatre with a gas mask, weapons and tear gas. After setting off the tear gas, he started shooting wildly at the crowd. Fifty-eight people were wounded and 12 died on the scene.

While Holmes, who after his arrest referred to himself as the “Joker” from the Batman movie, appeared in court on Monday, family members and loved ones of the deceased placed flowers and emotional letters outside the movie theatre.

My heart goes out to all those who will never have the opportunity to hug their loved ones or tell them that they love them.

Do you also have a broken heart today? Maybe, a loved one was taken from you in a similar violent way. Maybe, a third party managed to lure your spouse away from you. Or maybe you recently had to stand next to a loved one’s open grave after a long sick bed. The loss of a loved one leaves a wound in our hearts that only God can heal. Listen to his promises and think about them when you are going through a difficult time.

God is near to the broken-hearted. He heals our wounds and gives us strength when we do not have any strength to move forward. Where the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, Jesus came to give us an abundant life. Let us, therefore, keep our eyes on him with the knowledge that he will never leave nor forsake us. Why don’t you run to him for your healing today? God bless.