A God Who Draws Near to the Brokenhearted - The Crosswalk Devotional - February 28

A God Who Draws Near to the Brokenhearted
by Lynette Kittle

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18)

Crushing is not a word most want to associate with love but often an emotion felt by the masses. Heartache over a lost love, an unfaithful love, a never-attained love, or a never-found love is sadly a very real emotion felt widely by individuals around the world, especially on days where it seems love is being celebrated by everyone but them.

Plus, the piercing sorrow of the heart, with its loss and pain, is such a unique, personal experience for each person who faces it--a grief so deep that it’s often inexpressible and difficult to truly share with another individual the depth and level of the pain felt.

Since a broken heart is not something that can be bandaged, mended with stitches or staples, medicated, or made new by human efforts, it truly takes divine intervention to relieve the suffering.

Because matters and conditions of the heart run deep within us, God is the only one who can truly know the depth of our pain and brokenness. He is the only one who is equipped to repair it, too, and able to make it whole again.

In Brokenness, God Is Near

Our brokenheartedness often leads us to push God away, believing no one can really help us, not even Him. Also, the enemy of our souls is set on convincing us that God is against us and has somehow even caused this sorrow to happen in our lives. Blaming God for things is at the top of the devil’s “to-do” list. But Romans 8:31 reassures us that He is for us.

Instead of us pointing our finger at God and blaming Him, we need to recognize that He is the first one to come alongside us and offer us His compassion and comfort.

As 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 explains, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Still, we often believe God is far away from us during times of distress and suffering, but in truth, He is very near. And why is God so near us? What brings His presence near? Ephesians 2:13 explains, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

In His nearness, Psalm 147:3 explains how “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

God is the one to turn to in our brokenness, as He knows how to renew and restore a broken heart. Jeremiah 17:14 describes, “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise.”

A Brokenness That Leads to Godly Sorrow

Still, there is a kind of brokenness that pleases God--not one brought on by human tragedy but through a repentant heart. This grief softens and tenderizes our hearts toward God. It’s the kind where we become sorrowful for our sins and ask God to forgive and renew us.

2 Corinthians 7:10 describes how “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

The Apostle Paul isn’t referring to worldly sorrow, that comes with torment, terrible grief, regret, and destruction, but rather, he explains in 2 Corinthians 7:9: “Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.”

As Psalm 51:17 describes it, “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”

Intersecting Faith & Life: Are you dealing with a broken heart today? If so, turn to God in this time of sorrow. Ask God to bring you comfort and relief from your pain. Like James 4:8 encourages, draw near to God because He is already drawing near to you.

Further Reading:
He is Near to the Brokenhearted

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, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.