Over the years, I’ve encountered a lot of people who were brokenhearted. That is a strong word that describes someone who has gone through something they never dreamed would happen to them. It involves a profound disappointment or perhaps a betrayal of trust, which has a devastating effect on that person’s life. But it is seldom limited to one person. When someone has been hurt in this way, it affects that person’s family (parents, spouse, children, siblings) and friends. They share in the grief and suffering.

Scripture tells us that God is aware of those who have been brokenhearted and wants to help them.

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

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

The word “brokenhearted” in Scripture is a translation of two Hebrew words. The first is the word for heart. The second is a word that is most often translated as broken, but it can also mean “to break in pieces, destroy, maim, cripple, wreck or crush.”  As I said, it is a powerful word.

Our loving God is more powerful. He wants to step in and offer comfort and aid to those who feel overwhelmed. Read what Isaiah wrote about the coming promised Savior, the Messianic Servant:

Isaiah 61:1–3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

This is the passage Jesus read one Sabbath day in the synagogue of his hometown of Nazareth and said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:16-21).

Jesus came to overcome the biggest problem we had in this world, the debt our sin demanded. He paid that by offering His sinless life as the sacrifice to settle God’s judgment that stood against us. Through faith we claim that payment and are assured of forgiveness. That is overwhelmingly good news. But it gets even better. Our loving God wants us to know that He cares about each and every one of us as individuals. He brings His loving presence into our lives to help and heal us in our particular times of being brokenhearted. Trust in Him.