Friday, May 5, 2017

Where do broken hearts go?

I have a confession to make.
Sometimes I listen to One Direction. I'm not proud of this music choice. Heaven knows it certainly isn't the most refined and sophisticated. And it certainly isn't the most spiritual. But sometimes I get in the mood for sappy lyrics belted out by English teenage boys and One Direction fits the bill.
My One Direction moods nearly always come when I'm feeling a bit on the lonesome side of the relationship spectrum. The moods seep in slowly. They begin innocently enough. A romantic comedy, a chat with a friend about her impending marriage or a quick glance through the Martha Stewart bridal magazine while awaiting my turn in the grocery store check out line. A few veils, gowns and episodes of "Say Yes to the Dress" later and my heart begins to feel heavy and lonely. Enter One Direction.
Driving along with my radio blasting I indulge my mood with lyrics of puppy love heart ache. I put the pedal to the metal as I sing about nights changing, driving too fast and moon's light breaking through some love interest's hair. The lyrics are pathetic and sappy but I don't mind. In fact, the sappier the better. In my lonely mood I feast on pitiful emotionalism.
When I'm singing along to One Direction I feel completely justified in my loneliness. In the lyrics I tell myself that I am entitled to romance. The words seep into my heart and whisper discontent melodies. It isn't fair that you are alone. You should want to be loved. You deserve a date. Someone should want to steal you, girl! 
I wish I could say I didn't buy into the lyrics' lies but in my lonely moods I revel in them. I willingly let the tune of the boy band serenade my singleness. I turn up the volume and let it magnify my aching heart. I take my broken heart right to track number three and let it coddle my pathetic, sappy, lover-less lament.
But what good does any of this One Direction moodiness do me? When I take my broken heart to the boy band the songs never put it back together. There is no healing in "Girl Almighty" and no contentment in "No Control." It never fails that every time the album ends my lonesome mood remains. The cracks in my heart are only magnified and made more painful as the songs fade away and my singleness remains.
My One Direction moods get me nowhere. They only break my heart further and magnify what the world's songs claim I'm missing.
So where can my broken heart go? It can go to One Direction but it shouldn't. There is only one place that my broken heart can go where it will be made whole.
The feet of Jesus.
At the feet of One Direction my brokenness is only made more discontent. There is no joy in singing about what the world has that I don't. Lyrics about puppy love won't fill my heart with anything but sympathy for the self. But going to the feet of Jesus fixes what is broken inside of me. I find that singing about Jesus brings joy. Belting out lyrics about the love I have received in His salvation fills my heart to the overflowing with gratitude. I am content, whole and at peace when my spirit is set on my Savior, not my singleness.
The world will tell you and I that if we feel broken we should turn up the sappy and let ourselves "feel" our pain but feeling it won't fix it. Jesus fixes pain. Jesus puts broken people back together again. One Direction doesn't mend the heart and the romance of this world won't make the lonely content. The only place to take the broken heart is to the cross of the Savior. There we will find that there is no need for pathetic love songs because our mood won't suit a lover's lament. We'll be filled with the gratitude, grace and joy of the Lord and our hearts and lips will sing a new song, a song about the love of our Lord.

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