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"Refuge for the Broken-Hearted"Someone once said, “None of us is going to get off this planet without suffering enormously.” That caught my attention because, at the time, I was pretty sure I had escaped that tragic obligation. I was wrong. Eventually it was my turn. And it was devastating beyond description.One of the chief ways we suffer is by loving people who are flawed human beings. They’re going to disappoint us and break our hearts. Your parent’s marriage, no matter how great it seemed, trembled on it’s foundation at one time or another, and it was terrifying. Perhaps you fell in love with someone who didn't love you back. When push came to shove your dearest friend threw you under the bus. Or the person you dared to trust implicitly took unfair advantage of you. We are all heartbroken. It's the human condition.The great Apostle Paul lamented the sudden departure of Demas, a valued ministry partner. John Mark abandoned him at time when Paul needed him. He mentioned with pain how Alexander the Coppersmith had done him great harm. Jesus, of course, loved Judas like a brother, and Peter, one of his closest friends, betrayed him multiple times when he was most vulnerable. Human beings can’t always be counted on, but Jesus can. He never leaves us, abandons us, or ignores us. He is our defender, our advocate, our helper, our friend who sticks closer than a brother. No one knew this better than David who knew betrayal and opposition like no one in human history, yet his constant refrain was, “You are my defender, my rock, my fortress, my comforter…”By his very nature, God is unable to let you down. Trust him when all else fails.