BIBLE PASSAGE:
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
(Psalm 34:18)
MEDITATION:
Have you ever felt you were so deep in a valley that you would
never get out? Have you felt like the spirit of your life has been
sucked out of you and you are left feeling empty and possibly
all alone?
Have you been tired, weary and so brokenhearted that you were
losing your will to fight through it? You might be going through
one of those times right now. It can create a feeling of despair
and hopelessness.
Famous singer B.J. Thomas had a song with this phrase in it,
“Down isn’t so bad, when it gets you to looking up”
It makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? When we are at the bottom,
the only place we can look is up. And that’s a good thing, because
it means we are looking to the Lord for help.
Sometimes we will have to live through a valley of grief, before
we can climb the heights of spiritual glory. There are times when
we need to come to the end of ‘self’, before we can begin to start
living a life of peace, joy and purpose.
We need to realize that our own abilities, our own goodness, and
our own morality are all weak when compared to God’s power
and capabilities. During difficult times, we need to remember that
God is always sufficient and can provide whatever is required for
us to rise out of the valley we are in. That’s why it is so important
for us to spend time with the Lord each day (through reading His
Word and praying).
The scriptures assure us that when we are at our lowest, we are not
alone – God is close to us. We may not see Him or feel His presence,
but He is there. Why? Because He wants to rescue those who have
had their spirit crushed.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
(Hebrews 13:5)
When we are in a difficult season, God isn’t trying to prove to
us how strong we are; He’s reminding us how powerful He is.
The truth is, you and I were never meant to cope with difficult
situations alone. The weight we feel, the questions we have, the
battles we fight in silence…they were never ours to solve within
our own strength.
Sometimes, we think the struggle is a test of endurance. But more
often, it’s an invitation to surrender. An invitation to remember:
God is bigger than the diagnosis. Bigger than the delay. Bigger
than the fear that keeps us up at night.
No matter what situation we are in, or the difficult journey we are
on, God is still in control. He is still working and He is still faithful.
We don’t have to be strong enough. Why? Because God already is.
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, You have made the heavens
and the earth by Your great power. Nothing is too
hard for You.”
(Jeremiah 32:17)
How awesome it is to know that we have a God who understands us
when no one else does! Our Heavenly Father can encourage us and
give us directions for recovering from despair and heartache. Each
of us needs to accept His free offer of salvation and commit to being
a follower of His Son, Jesus.
When we belong to His family, God can turn mourning into joy,
sadness into happiness, and hopelessness into hope. We worship
and serve a God who loves us more than anyone else and He has
more compassion than we could ever imagine. Why wouldn’t we
want to surrender our lives to Him? As our Heavenly Father, we
know we can turn to Him when we are in the depths of distress!
ACTION:
If you are not going through a valley of despair right now, you
may have one to go through in the near or distant future. Why
not be prepared now by reading God’s Word and developing a
close fellowship with Him before you enter a difficult time?
When we have fellowship with the Lord, anytime we are in
distress, sad, heartbroken and have a dire need for a friend,
we will immediately go to Him and rely on His sufficiency.
We can find comfort in knowing the Lord is always nearby,
and He has sincere concern for those who belong to Him.
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your concern for me. There
are times when it seems that nobody else understands me, but
You always do. There are some who want to tell me that You
don’t exist. Lord I know that You do exist, and I ask You to
help me establish a daily habit of spending time with You
through by praying and reading the Bible. Whenever my life
is in despair, remind me that You are close and You care about
my troubles and well-being. Thank You for always loving me,
and for Your desire to rescue me from my damaged spirit. I
know I can’t do anything of lasting value if I am separated
from You. Help me to stop depending on myself and give You
full control of my life.”
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