Bible Passage: Proverbs 18

Proverbs is a book of wisdom with many wise words for us to reflect upon it day by day. It is within the chapters of this book from the Old Testament where we find words that can resonate with our daily living and our current situation wherever we are. In this chapter, I’d like to share a verse that struck a chord in me.

“A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?”– Proverbs 18:14

When the spirit is broken, people lose hope.

We see some of these examples in hospitals where patients fought their battles against their own sickness, some of which are terminal illnesses. While the doctors and nurses may try their best to look after these patients, ensuring that they take their medicine or undergo effective treatment in order to prolong their life, there is however one element that cannot be prescribed. That is the will to live, the desire to fight on, and the spirit that does not give up.

As long as the person says to himself that he will live on, he will probably heal faster or have his life prolonged in the process of recovery. On the contrary, even if a person has access to the best care for his illness, without hope or the will to live, this person will probably die. This could perhaps explain why some people die of a broken heart shortly after their spouse or a particular loved one passed away.

Such is the power of the spirit, the will to live and do the extraordinary because of the presence of hope. If this is something that doctors or physicians cannot prescribe, then who can heal a broken spirit?

The answer lies inside the Bible.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalms 147:3

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”– Psalms 34:18

“I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy.” Ezekiel 34:14

Only Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour can heal our broken spirit. With Him, we have a living hope (1 Peter 1:3).