What can you do when the spirit is crushed?

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A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed? -Proverbs 17:22 ESV, 18:14 MSG

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When I read about "a crushed spirit" I think about the day in 1972 that Ellen, my first wife, told me that she was going blind - I am not sure that I can express the way that the news of her blindness crushed me. I also remember the day that I walked into Ann's hospital room to find her experiencing some sort of stroke or how she became paralyzed as we were cruising the Caribbean. There are traumatic things in life that can crush your spirit and challenge you deeply.

So what do you do in crushing times? How does a believer in Christ deal with a broken heart and crushed spirit? I can only speak for myself when I say that my life has been transformed by hope. Consider what Isaiah wrote: "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength". This kind of hope has caused me to persevere in faith when I have been crushed and devastated by hard times. God has used hope and trust to make me a stronger man.

Thank you Lord for the faith, hope and trust that you have authored in my life.

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