“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 34:17–18 ESV
Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we hoped. Plans unravel. Doors close. Prayers seem unanswered. We can find ourselves standing in the middle of circumstances we never would have chosen, wondering how everything slipped so far out of our control.
But what if those very moments are the places where God draws closest?
Scripture reminds us that when we cry out, the Lord hears. Not only does He hear, He draws near. He is not distant from our pain. He is not impatient with our grief. He is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
There are seasons when everything feels unstable. When the weight of disappointment, loss, or uncertainty presses in so tightly that taking the next breath feels hard. And yet, even there, God is present. Sometimes His deliverance looks dramatic. Other times, it looks like quiet strength, one steady breath at a time. One small step forward. One moment of peace in the middle of chaos.
When life feels out of control, we can rest in this truth: God is not. He is not shaken by what shakes us. He is not part of the broken systems of this world. He stands above it, sovereign and steady, holding us even when we cannot hold ourselves together.
Your broken heart is not a place of abandonment. It is a place where God promises to be near.
Ask yourself…
1.What situation in your life right now feels out of your control?
2. Have you honestly cried out to God about it, or have you been trying to carry it alone?
3. In what small ways have you seen God sustain you — even if it’s just “one breath at a time”?
4. What would it look like to fully trust God with this season, even before you see the outcome?
Father, Thank You for being near when my heart feels heavy. Thank You for hearing me when I cry out, even when my prayers are messy and full of questions. In the middle of uncertainty, help me remember that You are steady. When I feel crushed in spirit, breathe Your peace into my soul. Teach me to trust You one moment at a time. Draw me closer through every trial, and remind me that I am never alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.