Do you have a wounded spirit? Do you sometimes feel all alone in the world with no human on earth to listen or comfort you in your sorrows? Has someone said or done something to you that plunged you into a dark cloud of confusion? And if you try to explain what you are feeling to others, they either don’t understand what you are saying, just plain don’t care, or change the subject? Do you feel like you’re hanging on by a thread, and living takes difficult effort?
God Is the Only One Who Fully Understands Us
When we have a wounded spirit, God is the only one who fully understands. People just can’t be there for us as fully as we need. Proverbs 18:14 (King James Version of the Bible) says, “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” How many of you would agree with me that you would rather have a flu than a wounded spirit? If you are full of faith, cheerful, and “under the weather”, it is not as difficult as being spiritually wounded!
Do you have a wounded spirit? Many things can wound us. Angry, hurtful words. False accusations. Condemning comments from the devil or people. Loving someone more than they love you. The pressure to perform. The list goes on.
Jesus Came to Send Us a Sword, but You Are Never Alone!
If you draw very close to God, you will find that less and less people understand you and support you. I do not say this to discourage you from getting close to God because He is the One who loves you the most!!! Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:34-36, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” I share this only because maybe something like this has already happened to you. Even those who love us can at times persecute us when we step out into a new spiritual calling or revelation of the Lord. I hope this scripture passage comforts you and explains to you what is happening when Jesus’ sword comes to your relationships. While others’ persecution and/or misunderstanding and the resulting division cause pain, the comfort comes in knowing that you are in God’s will, and He is with you! You are never alone!!!
The apostle Paul felt left alone and forsaken by people. He said in 2 Timothy 4:16-17,
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
All men forsook Paul, and He prayed for God to show them mercy for that. Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with him and strengthened him that he might fulfill his calling to preach to all the Gentiles. God even delivered him from the lion’s mouth! He claimed that the Lord would deliver him from every evil work and would preserve him unto His heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen! If all forsake you, pray for mercy for those people. The Lord will stand with you and strengthen you that you might fulfill your calling, too! He will deliver you from the devil who goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour! First Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same affliction are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
Paul also said in 2 Corinthians 12:15, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.” Can anyone relate to that scripture? I sure can! Praise God for our loving Lord who stands with us and strengthens us during times like these!
God Can Bring You “Jonathans”
God can also bring others to you like He brought Jonathan to encourage David before he became King! First Samuel 23:15-17 tells us, “And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.” God can send you people, “Jonathans”, who strengthen your hand in God and pray for you!
A best friend of mine shared years ago that getting closer to God and escaping the fleshly nature is like a crab trying to climb out of a bucket. Family members can be like crabs trying to pull you back into the bucket!
Not Everyone Will Openly Support You, But You Will Get More Rooted in God
You may even find that a family member will support you secretly like Nicodemus who came to Jesus at night so no one else would know His loyalty to Jesus. John 3:1-2 says, “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher came from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” Thank God that He is with us even when others don’t take a public stand to support us! These kinds of trials help us to get more rooted in God and His approval, like a tree being buffeted by winds will dig its roots deeper in the soil. All our trials, even a wounded spirit, have a good purpose!
Weeping May Endure for a Night, But Joy Comes in the Morning!
Do you have a wounded spirit? It will not last forever. Psalm 30:5 gives us the wonderful promise, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” You may be in a darkest night in your heart and life. You may be in a trial so very painful! However, God will not keep you in this trial forever! When you put your trust in God, joy is on the way! John 8:12 tells us, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” What a promise, my friends! Someone may have spoken words that just plunged you into darkness! But hold onto Jesus, who is the Light of God, and read His Word, the Bible. He will shine His light into your dark situation and bring the clarity of His love back to your heart! You will have the light of life again!
The True God and the True Jesus Love You the Most and Are on Your Side!
Remember, the true God and the true Jesus are the Ones who love you the most! They are on your side! They care about all your heartaches, sicknesses, and trials! They will help you if you look to them as your Rock! Psalm 56:9-11 offers us this hope: “When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise His Word: in the LORD will I praise His Word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” No matter what someone said or did to you, if you follow God and Jesus, then God will heal you! He will give you victory over your enemies, including the devil! God is for you! Psalm 18:31 tells us, “For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?” God is your Rock, my friends, if you put your trust in Him! He is your oasis and shelter in the storm!
Your Trials Will Not Destroy You
Do you have a wounded spirit? Second Corinthians 4:8-18 offers us this helpful advice:
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore speak; knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Are you troubled on every side? You do not have to be distressed if you trust in God! Are you perplexed? You don’t have to be in despair! Are you persecuted? You are not forsaken by God! Are you cast down? You will not be destroyed! God allows these trials to put to death our fleshly natures so that the refreshing and fragrant life of Jesus will be made manifest in our mortal bodies! Through the daily “deaths” we die in our trials, we can bring life and encouragement to others as God gives us His life and encouragement! I hope I am doing that right now! As we read the Bible and God’s promises, we get faith about what God is going to do for us. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” That is one important reason why it is so important to read the Bible! We are told above that God gives us all things through His abundant grace which causes us to thank God and glorify Him. Because of this, we don’t faint. Though our outward man perish–that is, they age and die–yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory! My friends, our heart-wrenching trials may not seem like “light affliction” to us sometimes; but from God’s perspective they ARE light afflictions! Best of all, God will use them to give us glory; and they will go away soon! We can believe God’s Word has more authority than our feelings, as important as they are!
We Look Not at the Things Which Are Seen, but at the Things Which Are Unseen
Okay, so here’s the part I’m asking God to help me with: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal [temporary]; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” It’s hard not to notice the “things which are seen” when they are in our faces every day discouraging us! However, our hope comes from looking, or thinking, about the “things which are not seen”, such as the unconditional love of God and all His promises, including seeing Jesus face to face and going to heaven! When we meditate on our trials, it brings us down. When we meditate on the Lord and His goodness, it lifts us up! Those trials are temporary! Again, they WILL GO AWAY!
God Will Heal Your Wounded Spirit with His Truth and Dispel the Lies
Do you have a wounded spirit? Bring your heart to God. He will heal you like no other can! He will tell you the truth about Himself that dispels the lies! John 14:6 tells us, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” I want to point out here that Jesus is the Truth! The devil will tell you lies. People will speak lies to you that the devil inspired them to say. These lies will weigh your heart down with rejection and condemnation. However, the Lord will reveal His Word, the Bible, to you and lift these lies right back off of you every time! He loves you so very much and cares about all your heartaches and trials! First Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” Cast all your care upon God! He cares for you and understands you perfectly!
The Glory of the Lord Will Be Risen Upon You!
Do you have a wounded spirit? Israel and us are offered this wonderful promise about our future in Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.” My friends, hang onto God and Jesus! Glory awaits you! Even now, He will fill you with His glory incrementally! Second Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” As you gaze upon the glory of the Lord in the Bible and in your spirit, you will be changed into the same image from glory to glory! Your wounded spirit will be healed!!!
You Are Headed for Victory! You Will Help Others!
You, my fellow follower of God and Jesus, are headed for victory! You are on the winning side! Second Corinthians 2;14-16a says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life….” God will always cause you to triumph in Christ! He will fill you with the savor of His knowledge so that you can share it with others! Those who are on the flesh’s and the devil’s side will find you a savor of death. However, those who are hungry for God will find you a savor of life! God will heal your wounded spirit because He loves you! He will also use your healed spirit to help others get healed, too!
Please send me a message on my Contact page how I can pray for you, including if you have a wounded spirit! I hope to be your “Jonathan”! 🙂 Here is the link to the Contact Page:
Contact – Bride Of Jesus Ministry
Here is a poem I wrote when I had a wounded spirit in the past. God told me, “Empty your pain.” I picked up a pen, and this is what came out:
5. Jesus, I Come
Jesus, I come to Your beautiful face
Needing to feel now Your loving embrace
Your tender compassion; Your deep, precious care
Your gentle, sweet presence which always is there
Into Your secret place now I do come
Praying Your holy will for me be done
Pour in my wounds Your pure oil and wine
Hold me and tell me again, “You are Mine”
For when I went searching to find You once more
The watchmen mistook me, they thought me a whore
They thought I was wandering in search of some sin
When really I panted for You from within
A deer, I was hunted and in deep distress
Needing Your water and still, peaceful rest
O, come to my rescue and do not delay
Save me from lions and take me away!
Call me to come to Your mountain so fair
Love me and comfort me, refresh me there
Take me from winter and bring me to spring
Blossom the flowers and cause me to sing
Turn now my darkness to beautiful day
Rise in my heart, chase the shadows away
Wash me and cleanse me from selfishness, pride
Clothe me and make me Your glorious bride
Turn all my mourning to laughter and joy
Make me a planting for You to enjoy
Anoint me a priest and a servant to You
Change all the pain and the grief I went through
Into a way I may know You yet more
And comfort the sorrowful, thirsty, and poor
To listen so patiently, to understand
As You live through me and reach out Your hand
May I embrace all the weary and worn
Bandage their wounds as they also were scorned
Take to the inn to recover and rest
As they learn also to lean on Your breast
Savior, our Comforter, King, and our Friend
Draw us all to You and keep to the end
You can find this poem, #5, and other poems in The Bridegroom and His Bride: a collection of poems based on the Song of Songs. Here is the link:
The Bridegroom and His Bride – Bride Of Jesus Ministry
I also highly recommend you read two poems from another poetry booklet I wrote. They are #10, “A Needy Child Loved Totally”, and #13, “As We Gaze In His Eyes” found in Journey To The Promised Land. Here is the link:
Journey To The Promised Land – Bride Of Jesus Ministry
This catchy song sung by Mandisa called “Leave It In The Valley” really encourages me when I have a wounded spirit or am struggling with trials:
Here is a beautiful, touching song by Shannon (Wexelberg) Adducci that will encourage you while you wait on God for answers to prayer: