One of the most difficult things to deal wih is having a broken heart or wounded spirit. Such pain can flood your being that you simply don't know what to say, how to function, or where to begin to look for some kind of answer. Several years ago my heart was broken. My husband and I had been going through a number of years of difficulty, compounded by bouts of depression, anger, and a lot of financial stress. Eventually my husband decided he'd had enough and left. The devastation that gripped my heart was physical, emotional, spiritual. I knew I needed to move foward and it took me years to figure out how.

There can, of course, be many other reasons to be heart broken, but I have found certain steps are helpful, whatever the circumstances or situation a person is dealing with in their life.

Forgiveness Is almost always the key.

It certainly was the key for me. Forgiving wasn't easy. Every day as I prayed I had to consciously will myself toward forgiveness, and not just for my husband, but for myself. I learned to forgive myself. I gave the rest to God, trusting in His love and faithfulness.

Moving forward is a day by day process and there are no easy answers or particular steps to make things turn out okay. And some times things work out...my husband and I were eventually able overcome our issues and renew our committment to marriage, but we had to learn how to communicate and listen to each other. We had to learn trust. It was a blessed outcome, but certainly not one I expected, or what happens in every situation.

Here are some suggestions to hopefully help the broken hearted find a way to peace.

Practice forgiveness daily.

Talk to someone like a Pastor or Counselor. Learn from mistakes. Don't punish yourself. Spend time with friends and loved ones.

Spend time in the sun. Go on walks, ride a bike.

Learn a new skill.  Some times keeping busy will get you through the day when nothing else will.

Pray daily. Read a book on forgiveness and moving forward. Trust that time does eventually heal all wounds.