When someone has a heart attack, it's because a part of their heart has been deprived of oxygen for a period of time. If they aren't treated quickly enough and the vessel remains blocked, that part of their heart necroses and the tissue dies. Depending on how significant the heart attack is and how much of the heart is without oxygen, it can leave a heart's function pretty impaired - such that every time they exert themselves physically, they are unable to adequately pump blood to the rest of their body and soon have to stop to catch their breath - and this damage cannot be reversed. If they have multiple heart attacks, the damage is multiplied, until eventually their heart is overwhelmed and ceases to function.
When our hearts are wounded emotionally, I think the same thing happens. At first, if the hurt is small, maybe we don't notice it - so we venture out and try to love again. But as the hurts accumulate, our capacity to love is impaired, so now, when people get too close or we find ourselves vulnerable, we pull back - we need to stop and catch our breath because we no longer feel able to love or be loved so deeply.
But then the difference between the two is that, with a heart attack, the damage can't be reversed. Once scar tissue is deposited, it cannot be revived to life. Our emotional heart is not so - instead of blood clots blocking the blood bessels, I think we've placed clamps over them. The effect is the same - that part of our heart is not longer accessible, but the long term effects are not. I believe that God can reach into the depths of our heart and re-infuse them with His love. I think He can teach us to love again- He can bring our hearts back to life.
