Why We Need Support Groups

By Esther Smith

What happens when you bring together a group of suffering people who love Jesus? I believe that amazing things can happen.

My involvement in chronic pain and illness support groups came out of my own journey. In a season of deep suffering, I experienced something profound when I immersed myself in communities of people who shared my faith and understood my daily experience. My body was not healed, but I cannot overstate how much my spirit was encouraged.

I joined Broken and Mended in their ministry, because I believe that everyone should have access to communities like this. Support groups are powerful for many reasons. Let me share just two of them.

Support groups provide space for corporate lament. Within small communities, we live out the biblical command to weep with those who weep. We ask hard questions and voice painful experiences without fear of judgement. We sit in the uncertainty together and bear witness to each other’s pain. We ask God for help and remind each other that Jesus is with us, even when the healing does not come.

Support groups also provide space to rejoice with those who rejoice. We celebrate small wins. We rejoice over improved symptoms and lower pain days. We see, accept, validate, and love one another through it all. We begin to feel glimmers of hope again. We hold on, waiting for our new bodies, and the wait feels more bearable because we’re doing it together.

David Heflin

Executive Director

David Heflin is the founder, former president, and current executive director for Broken and Mended. He is married to Katie and has three kids. David was a preacher for over 20 years until he stepped down to focus fully on the mission of Broken and Mended. He started Broken and Mended in 2018 after being inspired by his own battle with chronic pain to connect other hurting people to Jesus and each other. David has a B.A. in Bible from Oklahoma Christian University and a Master of Arts in Religion from Azusa Pacific University. He resides in Woodward, OK.

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