pNo matter how hurt, sad, or alone you feel, God will never, and has never, left you: ‘The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit’ (v. 18). We know you’ve heard it before. But let’s take it apart. God is near to you if you’re broken. Even before we think about the ways He helps you, that alone is wonderful. God is real and near to you, when you’re suffering. He notices your shifts of mood. He’s a warm presence, there to be leant on. God saves you if you’re crushed. What does this mean? It means that God turns around the very things that are crushing you and makes them work for you. In Romans, Paul says, ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us’ (Romans 8:35-37 NIV). If you’re a conqueror then you fight your enemies and beat them. If you’re *more* than a conqueror, you fight your enemies and then make them work for you. Through God, we can turn to the things that would destroy us and say, ‘Come on, graves. Come on, crosses. All you’re doing is making me stronger.’/p
pWhat now?br /
Maybe you’re not feeling broken right now, so you’ll log this away for another time. But maybe you know someone who is. Give them a call today and be and do whatever they need you to. Like today’s verse shows, just being real and near to someone can be help in itself./p