He Is Near to the Brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18)
by Lynette Kittle
BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18
In much of Christian content and chatter, it’s easy to believe that God is looking for the strong, the go-getters, the over-achievers in life. Many individuals and groups assert that He is closer to those who are strong, to those who are achieving their goals and making things happen around them, the “Movers and the Shakers” of the faith.
Perhaps you’ve believed it, too? At your lowest points, maybe you’ve doubted if God is close by, or wondered if He’s turned His back on you?
When looking at Scripture, we realize God never turns his back on his children. So much is written of God’s heart towards those who are weak, broken, and in despair.
Jeremiah 31:25 states how God wants to refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Isaiah 40:29 also reveals His compassion, describing how “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
Often when experiencing heartbreak, disappointments, setbacks, weakness, weariness, and more, it’s easy to feel like God isn’t near, like He doesn’t care or even has time for you.
Yet Psalm 147:3 assures that, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Still, it’s too easy to feel hopeless and fearful believing there is no one around to help you.
Nevertheless, Isaiah 41:10 encourages you to “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Through His Word, God reaches out over and over again to the weary and despondent.
Scripture describes how the Apostle Paul dealt with an ongoing weakness, yet reassures of God’s presence in the midst of it. 2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
During discouraging times, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 encourages you to remember God is with you, even if you are hard-pressed on every side, you’re not crushed. If you’re feeling perplexed you don’t have to be in despair, and if you are being persecuted, you can be confident God has not abandoned you. Even if you have been struck down, because God is with you, you are not destroyed.
Psalm 73:28 tells us that it is good to draw near to God. So take heart today in the knowledge he is always closely present in your life.
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, iBelieve.com, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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