“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief of all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV

There is nothing better than a broken heart. Unimaginable, isn’t it? A heart, once filled with such love, hope and desire, is now shattered from a breakup, loss or disappointment. But imagine this instead: There is nothing better than a broken heart because there is no better posture than on your knees before God. Liberty and victory are found at the feet of Jesus because there truly is no better friend than our God. 

A heartbreak is felt just as deeply physically as it is emotionally—and is true suffering. However, it is in the suffering where God’s love, the Spirit’s presence and our faith become real. In a world where suffering so easily turns to shame, anger and anxiety, we find that through Christ, and only Christ, there is restoration, forgiveness and grace. 

It is not found in the next best thing, the replacement, or in anything that numbs our reality. It is found in grace. 

Grace, or divine favor. 

Paul encourages us to boast in our weakness. Why? Because His grace is all sufficient. It is in our weakest of moments, deepest of valleys, where His grace starts to mean more than just something amazing, but that it is all sufficient, all saving. Because it no longer becomes about us. It is by His strength and perfection that we receive such grace. It no longer requires us to seek pity or for people to understand, but to seek Christ and Christ alone (Matthew 6:33). We find shared understanding with the One who created us and walks with us in those moments. Our God, who is so close to the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18), feels our pain and cries our tears. 

He sees the one who suffers and being the loving Father He is, He asks to take it on (1 Peter 5:7).

Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, laid down His life, took on sin and conquered death so that He could take it on. So that grace would be abundant for the broken-hearted.

He takes on the hurt caused from someone else and even takes on the harm you caused yourself. He is saying in Matthew 11:28-30 to give it to Him because He is the only One who can take it. He is the only One who can replace our pain and suffering with a burden that is light and a yoke that is easy, so that even in suffering, you may not only get through, but receive the victory with Him. 

God will not take suffering away but watch what happens when you surrender the suffering, when you humbly get on your knees to pray and when you choose to fight for your joy and peace by His strength and not your own. What will healing, restoration and blessings (beyond what you could ever think or imagine) bring? 

This is where hope that was once lost is restored. Where the refiner’s fire is making your faith genuine, because at the end of the day it is the state of your faith that is of utmost importance. The suffering turned to purpose is what I call it grace. 

“I wanna be tried by fire

Purified

You take whatever you desire

Lord here’s my life” 

– Refiner (Maverick City Music) 

To be refined by fire is to be challenged to the highest degree. And we know that when we ask, we will receive. Do you know what you are asking? Do you understand the weight, the heat and the pressure you will take on? It is in the suffering of heartbreak where we are challenged at the highest degree. It is the moment where we choose where we fix our eyes, where we place our hope and the desires of our heart. These moments of refining can only bring true restoration when our eyes, hearts, souls and minds are fixed on Christ. That is abundant grace. 

There is nothing better than a broken heart because there is nothing better than being surrendered to the grace and will of the Father. In the deepest and darkest, see that you are fully embraced by the One who is good, the One who is love. 

Father, you are just that good,

In my pride, sin and shame
 you have never loved me more. 

When I give up, you give more,
but you do not give as the world gives.

Your character is kind, you teach me that
through patience and self-control.

Father, you know me that much,

You know exactly what I need and when I need it.

No better timing than yours.

No better provision than yours.

Father, you love me that much,

You protect me from things
I cannot see or understand. 

You prepare, prune and purify me,

For things beyond what
I could ever think or imagine.

Father, I am just that blind,
I have no choice but to look up.

I am just that stubborn,
you use my mistakes to make me more like you.

I am just that lost, every misstep
leads me back to you. 

And I call it Grace. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.