Hope For The Broken Heart
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Psalm 34:18
How amazing it is that God subjected himself to pain and sorrow. Never assume He had to. God is above all things. He created this world and all things are under His hand, pain was not His original design. The thorn was placed on the rose because of our sin. The world was fractured when we decided to rebel against God. While not all pain we experience on this earth is our fault, pain does have its origin in mans initial rebellion.
And yet—God, most clearly in Jesus Christ, subjected himself to the pain we caused. Why? Because only then can Psalm 34:18 ring true, that God is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Why? Because he’s had a broken heart too. He understands. I don’t know where you are this morning or what you are going through. But I know that when your soul is crushed—there is extreme hope when we realize that God is aware of the weights we carry and that He is near.
God is near to you in your broken heart— No matter what the broken heart or crushed spirit came from. Beautiful.
Resting in Him,
Josh.
He is strong. Able. Creative. On time. Perfect. Powerful. Sustaining. Refreshing. Purposeful in all seasons. The darkness has just as much purpose as the light.
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Having unmet desires is not a unique experience for some Christians, we all experience it. But each experience of it is unique. Here are a few thoughts to help guide us when this is our season.
There are Christian words that we hear often. If we are honest, though, we don’t really know their meaning, at least in full. If we slow down we may find that understanding the depth of simple words can be very impactful on our Christian life.
As you look back on 2019, you might find that what fills you is regret over your sins and mistakes. Here are six anchors that will hold you amidst the waves of regret.
The spiritual disciplines are not an end in themselves, but a means to know God better. I imagine God sitting in a coffee shop, off in the corner. I look over and I see two coffees. One’s for me and it’s still steaming. Will I go sit? Or will I look back down at my Netflix episode?
Do you want to read the Bible more meaningfully? Do you want the scriptures to shape the way you think, feel, and believe? Do you want to bridge the gap between what the head knows and what the heart feels and worships? If so, the key is meditation.
There are far more women out there who have sexual sin scars than people realize. We don’t tell anybody because we think it will cause people to see us differently. How should we think about these scars?
If I fall again, will He be there to pick me up? Can we find hope in the wake of committing the deepest and darkest sins of our lives? After the affair. After the adultery. After the murder. After the deception. When we are most disillusioned about our own salvation because of our depravity, this is when the doctrine of the atonement and mediation shine brightest.
We sin, we feel shame, that shame leads us to run away from God and others in isolation, then the isolation leaves us empty. Thus, turning to sin we begin the cycle again. Where do we go when we are trapped in this hell of a cycle?