love can break your heart...

Have you ever felt like your heart would break? Because you cared so much about someone? Like maybe a parent or a sibling who is facing difficult times, or a child who is suffering because someone's actions or a friend who maybe has chosen unwisely? I am finding the older I get the more my heart seems to break for those around me. I know it's love that brings me to empathize to that extreme but I swear one of these days it may kill me!

This morning I was reading about Enoch, the prophet whose people repented and were so good they were of one heart and one mind so they were taken up to live with God. Enoch was surprised to see God weeping at the wickedness of his creations. Then Enoch saw the wickedness of the people and how they were hurting each other and the scripture says: "as Enoch saw this, he had bitterness of soul, and wept over his brethren and said unto the heavens: I will refuse to be comforted:; but the Lord said unto Enoch: Lift up your heart, and be glad; and look."

And a couple of verses later is says: "And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh and his soul rejoiced..." So Enoch was comforted in the knowledge that Jesus Christ would come and redeem the repentant.

This gives me great comfort. I can not take away the pain and suffering of the world nor can I change the poor choices people make. But I can be comforted in these situations because Jesus can make things right through his atonement. For this I also rejoice and am very grateful. It also makes me appreciate Jesus and Heavenly Father more because they love more deeply than I do and they know how I feel.

So I guess my heart will not break but if I choose to turn to the Lord, like Enoch, I can be comforted and my heart will find it's strength again, and maybe be a little stronger.