“This just isn’t it for me. I don’t see a future for us.”

Those words played over and over again in my mind as I sat on the edge of my bed, feeling like my world was crashing down around me.

I’m sure those who have experienced heartbreak understand: For you to have tied yourself so closely to someone, imagined a future together and shared precious memories only for them to be ripped out of your heart – it creates a pain in your heart that feels unbearable at times.

With the COVID-19 situation escalating in the UK, I flew home to be with family and was promptly put under Quarantine Orders. Stuck in a room by myself for 14 days, with absolutely nothing to do but think about the breakup, I experienced new levels of suffering.

God, through the beauty of music, began to comfort and console me.

Knowing the power of music, I went online to search for songs to soothe me. Yet all the listicles I read just offered worldly pop songs which only increased the hurt and ache within.

Eventually, I had no choice but to confront the heartbreak with His comfort and help. Those 14 days then became days of healing and restoration, as I was “forced” to spend time only with Him.

But there was an expedience in the healing process as there were no distractions from spending time with Him; I was broken to the point where there was no desire to game or watch Netflix.

All I could do was to cling on to Him, read His word, worship Him and be held by Him. But God, through the beauty of music, began to comfort and console me.

Here are 5 songs that saw me through the process of grief and heartbreak, and I pray these songs will touch your heart too.

5 SONGS FOR A BROKEN HEART

1. “Sovereign Over Us” – Michael W. Smith

You’re with us in the fire and the flood
You’re faithful forever
Perfect in love
You are sovereign over us

This was the first song that touched me. As the lyrics washed over me, I was reminded that the Lord is sovereign over our lives.

Every hurt, every pain, and every suffering that we go through is divinely ordained. He is not taken by surprise.

Moreover, He promises to walk us through the fire and flood (Isaiah 43:2). This song brought acceptance of what had happened, allowing me to move through that stage of grieving.

2. “Do It Again” – Elevation Worship

Walking around these walls
I thought by now they’d fall

As the first few days of quarantine passed, I began to feel better and excitedly told my friends (over Zoom) that I felt I was finally moving on and getting through it.

A friend who had gone through something similar looked at me with deep sympathy and reminded me that recovery was non-linear.

I smirked then, but ended up bawling my eyes out the next day as the hurt washed over me again.

The verse resonated deep within me as I asked, “God, I’ve given you my heart. I’ve asked You to hold it and mend it. Why does the hurt keep coming back again and again?”

Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You’ve never failed me yet

Singing the chorus acted as a form of declaration for me. Tearfully grasping the guitar neck, I repeated again and again that the Lord was faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9) and that my days were held in His hands (Psalm 31:15).

3. “Your Love is a Song” – Switchfoot

Your love is a symphony
All around me
Running through me
Your love is a melody
Underneath me
Running to me
Your love is a song

As my spirits began to be raised, I was drawn to something a little more upbeat. This song reminded me that I was not unloved. I wasn’t forsaken.

Although I may have fallen out of human love, the Lord will never fall out of love with me. He rejoices and sings over me (Zephaniah 3:14-17).

This song reminded me of His love – the most important love.

4. “Clear the Stage” – Jimmy Needham

Anything I put before my God is an idol
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol
Anything I can’t stop thinking of is an idol
Anything that I give all my love is an idol

As God reminded me of His love, He also directed my attention to my relationship. I was convicted that I had neglected my relationship with God throughout the relationship.

We weren’t centred on Christ. Both of us were straying away from the faith, and I knew deep down that this relationship was not something the Lord wanted. I just didn’t want to walk away.

I wanted it to work out so much that I stopped pursuing God’s heart for my life. And because I had put her and our relationship first, I had lost my focus on Jesus. 

The relationship had become an idol, but the Lord was drawing me back to Himself.

5. “Crowns” – Hillsong Worship

The greatest of my crowns
Mean nothing to me now
For I counted up the cost
And all my wealth is in the cross

As I continued to walk with the Lord through the healing process, He began to work on issues concerning my identity.

I began to see how I had tied my identity to my ex-girlfriend: I had taken pride in being attached to someone from a rich and successful family.

This song was a solemn reminder that my identity was to be found in Christ and that the riches of the world are nothing in light of Him (Philippians 3:8-10).

It also gave me assurance in the knowledge that human rejection did not change my worth; my identity is found in Christ and in being a son of God (1 John 3:1-2).

The Bible commands us to “sing unto the Lord a new song” (Psalm 96:1).

Through this time of sorrow and grief, the Lord healed me and gently disciplined me as I cried, praised and worshipped Him. He used music to love and heal me.

So, the next time you have to go through heartbreak, consider turning down the noise and worshipping instead.☺