He Will Save the Crushed in Spirit

This week we continue to  feature material from The Promises of God ©1998 by Discipleship Publications International. This week’s post is an excerpt from a chapter by Marylou Craig who serves along side her husband Larry who is an elder in the New York City Church of Christ.

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

All of us as servants of God will face various kinds of injustice. We will be wounded by the destructive forces of sin in our world. It may be ill treatment by a family member or close friend that will hurt us emotionally, psychologically, or perhaps even physically.

We may face rejection or persecution from someone we have tried to help to know God. It may be the loss of a relationship that has to be sacrificed in order to follow God. Or it may be the general injustice of living in an imperfect world, where there is disease, sickness, and death. All these situations leave us feeling a great sense of loss and, at times, “crushed in spirit.”

“Taste and see that the Lord is good…those who fear him lack nothing…those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psalm 34:8-10). No matter how painful our situations may be and no matter how “crushed” we are, we can know with assurance that God is good, and that everything he does is good.

We just do not see the big picture yet. David could not see his character developing or his faith in God growing. He had no idea of the plans God had for him—plans to make him one of the greatest kings of all time, and through his descendants to bring Jesus Christ into the world.

As I think of the pain I faced those years ago [in our marriage], I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving and praise for what God has done. His goodness set in motion all the circumstances that had to take place for my husband and me to learn the things we needed to learn.

We “gained” in so many areas: trust, patience, compassion, faith, perseverance, pure motives, gratitude, forgiveness, openness, understanding, humility, and unconditional love. Our good God has made him into the most loving man I know, and our marriage gives many couples hope and inspiration.