Broken but Healed

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18, ESV)

The tormented Man

“As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met him. He lived in the tombs, and no one was able to restrain him anymore ​— ​not even with a chain ​— ​Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.” (Mark 5:2-5, CSB)

Legion was a broken, tormented man. The Bible doesn’t tell us his background prior to his life among the tombs. The townspeople saw him as a wild, demon-possessed man who could not be constrained or controlled. They saw no hope that he would ever be different.

But hope found him! Legion—not his birth name but the name of his torment—needed deliverance. Jesus came to set the captive free. When he met Jesus, everything changed.

the suffering woman

“A woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years, who had spent all she had on doctors and yet could not be healed by any, approached from behind and touched the end of his robe. Instantly her bleeding stopped.” (Luke 8:43-44, CSB)

The woman with the issue of blood was weak and broken. Her condition had plagued her for twelve long years, and her hope was about gone. But then she heard about Jesus and pushed her way through to Him. Just touching the edge of His robe changed everything. She was healed of her affliction.

The Grieving mother

Just as he neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the town was also with her. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said, “Don’t weep.” Then he came up and touched the open coffin, and the pallbearers stopped. And he said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. (Luke 7:12-15, CSB)

The widow of Nain was broken with grief and now alone. Her only son was dead, and they were on their way to bury him. Life had beaten her down and robbed her of hope. But along the way, she encountered Jesus. He felt great compassion for her and brought her son back to life.

There are so many forms of brokenness. The word can mean shattered into parts, damaged, fragmented, crushed, sorrowful, overcome by grief, or filled with despair.

In the stories mentioned above we saw it as torment, illness, and grief. We may also be crushed by the cares of life or wounded by a destroyed relationship. Perhaps our brokenness was brought on by a sinful lifestyle. Or maybe we find ourselves overwhelmed by grief and despair. Regardless of the cause, the Lord offers deliverance and healing. Psalm 147:3 promises, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (ESV).

Whatever the reason we find ourselves broken, our hope for a better life comes from the Lord. Jesus came to heal our brokenness and to set us free. He fills in all the broken places and makes us whole again. He is waiting to bring hope and healing to anyone willing to come.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives

and freedom to the prisoners;

(Isaiah 61:1, CSB)

Lord, I give my brokenness to You. You came to bind up my wounds and give me healing. I cannot do this on my own, but with You my life is no longer hopeless. You bring health, healing, and wholeness to my brokenness and despair.