Why Living With A Broken Heart Hurts More Than Depression (this ain’t a love story)

When we think of broken hearts, love and romance may come to mind. That’s what they tell us in the movies. But broken hearts have nothing to do with that. They don’t come with a sad love story. Depression is typically linked to an event or something that happened. A traumatic experience or incessant feeling that refuses to let go in clinical cases, in others, it may be temporary.  

What’s The Difference?

There’s a big difference between a broken heart and depression.  At least according to the Word, Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”.  A broken heart is a build up of the issues, year after year, decade after decade, birthday after birthday. Issues that take your breath when you think of them. Whereas in depression, there is typically someone or something to point to as a cause.

With a broken hearted person, everything may look good. You can’t “see” it on them. They may not even be able to tell you exactly why they feel that way. Here’s more about the difference between the two.

How Can You Tell?

A broken heart is typically internal. It doesn’t have a set beginning. You may be blessed financially, at work, in your health, and still feel like taking your life, or giving up.  Your heart is broken from years of disappointment, unexplainable circumstances, unusual patterns, and despair. In depression, something sets things off. It may trickle down into other areas like your health, finances, relationships. A broken hearted person is what you’d called “blessed”. 

A broken heart is not easily repairable without God. Because it does not have a beginning, it does not have an end – without God. It is a silent build up of years and stolen time that sits on your shoulders like the strongman. No amount of prayer, deliverance, fasting, confession, or obedience can fix it.  With depression, one of these things can be the breakthrough. With a broken heart, you have tried it all to no avail.

A broken hearted person is unusually generous. It is how they are refreshed, by refreshing others. They are typically joyful, encouraging, but feel cast to the sidelines to watch.  A depressed person chooses the sidelines, but the broken hearted feel like they don’t have a choice. 

What Can You Do?

Get curious about who they are. Ask them if they are willing to share. Listen before giving ideas on scriptures to read or prayers. A heart has lots of wisdom, and already knows what it needs. 

The next time you see a “sad” person, don’t be quick to give advice.Through discernment you will understand if this person is broken hearted.

What They Need

The broken hearted need another type of support that no medicine can cure. They need a new heart:

Proverbs 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me”.

Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you; I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh”. 

That is something only God can do.  For this and more go to Alpha Talk.

Originally posted 2025-10-08 14:24:47.