The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 NIV

Into every life, trouble will come. When a friend betrays you, it breaks your heart. If you lose your job, your spirit is crushed. Through a combination of the actions of others and actions of our own, we receive the negative consequences of bad behavior. Beyond that, sometimes struggles result from choosing to do the right thing. Fortunately, we serve a God that lifts us up when the world tears us down.

God understands our situations. He knows our feelings and helps us in times of trouble and sorrow. Unlike the loneliness of materialism, atheism, Darwinism, and false religion, the God of the bible deeply cares for us. We matter to him so much that he sent Jesus to redeem us from sin. The lord sends the Holy Spirit to comfort us. God is always a present help in good times and in bad.

Jesus Knows Our Suffering

Whether it is suffering from loss, temptation, or difficulty in overcoming sin, God is near the believer. When Christ was tempted by Satan in the desert, the word of God and his devotion to the Father pulled him through. Jesus understands temptation and he knows how to overcome it. Christ knows firsthand our suffering because he lived as a man and experienced the penalty of our sin on the cross. He is close to the brokenhearted, giving us comfort in times of trial and tribulation.

We serve a God that empathized with us so completely that he sent his son to die for us. The Psalm of David we read today demonstrates that God comforts his people since the times of the Old Testament. How much more comforted are those that receive Christ as Savior? As we read in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. WEB” God is close to the brokenhearted. The Lord comforts and redeems those that believe in him.

Yesterday’s Devotional: The Grace of God