CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”   Psalm 34:18-20

I will never forget her name, “PEACE-PATIENCE.”  She was a shy, yet determined 16 year old girl.  She attended a well-known, “A level,” girls boarding school just outside of Kampala, Uganda.  She was just one out of the 300 girls that came to our outreach that morning.

I could tell that our message of Christ’s forgiveness had touched a nerve by the way she anxiously approached me.  When I asked her what she wanted she hung her head and struggled to speak.  She just stood there. She gripped her rolled-up notebook as her eyes filled with tears.  Sensing her heavy burden I quickly motioned five of our students over for prayer.

She slowly opened up and shared her heart, “When I was just 8 years old, I was sexually abused by my cousin.  At that time I was also introduced to pornography.  Since then I have been trapped in this sin and I can’t stop myself.  I want to be free.”  She then threw her hands over her face in shame and burst into tears.

All six of us huddled around Peace-Patience and placed our hands on her to pray.  Instantly, she dropped to her knees out of complete brokenness before the Lord.  While each team member passionately prayed over Peace-Patience, I began to sense an overwhelming presence of the Fathers love and that deep wounds were being healed in our midst.  Romans 8:1 came to mind as we prayed, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

As we prayed, the Holy Spirit impressed on me the need to speak to her as if Jesus himself were speaking.  I spoke the words, “You are my beloved daughter and your sins are forgiven!”  Immediately, Peace-Patience fell to her side and began to sob uncontrollably—tears of joy mixed with pain.  At that very moment, the rest of us began to weep with her as the love of the Father engulfed us all.  “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15

After sometime of shedding tears, we introduced Peace-Patience to one of the female staff of our partnering ministry who will be available for ongoing follow-up and counsel. Her willingness to share brought freedom from the enemies tactics to keep us in shame. We rejoice that the Lord heals the brokenhearted and the power of the cross is greater than our sin!