How to heal a broken heart

I recently had lunch with a good friend who is going through a difficult time. He’s in the midst of a painful divorce. His mind is confused, his finances are wrecked, his world is upside down and his heart is broken. He is wrestling with a mixture of emotions that includes regret, sadness, anger, confusion, fear and frustration. He asked me a simple-but-profound question: Where do I go from here?

That’s a good question, isn’t it? It’s a question that we’ll all ask ourselves at different points and how we choose to respond in those crossroads moments can ultimately determine the direction for our lives.

I told my friend that the healing process for a broken heart is actually similar to the healing process for a broken arm. I explained that when my son broke his arm, four key actions were required for the physical healing, and four very similar actions are also required for the emotional healing of a broken heart.

When my son’s arm was broken, the first step was to set the bone. It meant realigning the bone to its proper position so that it would heal properly. Next, the arm had to be wrapped in a hard cast to hold the arm in place and to protect it from additional damage. Third, my son had to temporarily give up some freedoms and restrict his movements to prevent further injury. Finally, my son had to rest so his body would have the strength and stamina to promote healing.

When YOU find yourself in a heartbreaking situation, and you’re wondering what to do next, I encourage you to follow this same path to healing. Do these four things: