Not much inspires awe at the love of God like a broken heart.

I prayed with and for several people over the weekend, and was amazed every time at God’s unfailing love. ‘Cause when you take a step back, out of a painful situation and realize that God still loves – and is waiting to forgive – your accuser, your enemy, that person that hurt you, you can’t help but wonder how.

And then you remember that He’s already forgiven you for so much that you can’t help but wonder how.

And then you remember that He’s already forgiven so many people for so much, and you can’t help but wonder how.

And then you remember Jesus hanging, dying on the Cross, and praying, “Father forgive them,” and you can’t help but wonder how because there you are feeling so alone and so used because someone that you trusted, someone that you loved, abused you, in the name of Self.

And then you remember that He knows what it feels like to be betrayed, to be walked on, to be ignored. He knows what it feels like to love someone completely and find out it was all worth about 30 pieces of silver to him or her. He knows what a broken heart feels like, and He forgives.

And even though the pain is still very real and you still just want to cry and it’s still completely unfair, you can’t help – at the same time – to hold your breath and pause in the presence of the overwhelming heart of God.