Have you or someone you know been deeply wounded, spiritually-speaking? Did the wounding come about from a particular situation you encountered? Or was the wound inflicted by family, an acquaintance, a church member, or by someone that you thought you could trust? If so, you’re not alone.
Sustaining a physical wound on the body can be very painful, and sometimes, result in a physical death. But, to sustain a spiritual wound is far worse, according to scripture. Proverbs 18:14 states: “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” In other words, a physical infirmity or physical wound will not destroy our spirit which is of utmost eternal importance. Furthermore, our resilience of spirit will carry us through such an infirmity of body or various troubles which may be encountered in life. As the Pulpit Commentary so aptly states: “The body can, as it were, fall back upon the support of the spirit, when it is distressed and weakened…” The infirmities that we endure in life are unpleasant and undesirable, still, the strength of our spirit-man within can help us to endure such hardships. However, a wounded spirit is so severe that the writer of Proverbs wonders who could even bear such a thing!
Causes of a Wounded Spirit
There are many causes for a wounded spirit; most of which will be listed in this section. There are countless scenarios that could cause such a deep wound on the soul-level; but we will briefly cover the most common:
♦ Slander: The Psalmist writes an entire song of the slandered in Psalm 109. In the Psalm, he mentions a few reasons why his heart is wounded within him. In his prayer/song to God, he mentions that the wicked and deceitful have spoken against him with a lying tongue. They have also spoken words of hatred toward him and have fought against him without a cause. Even though he tries to show them love, in exchange, they only become his enemies. Even though he tries to show them good, in exchange, they only reward him with evil. He is a reproach to them and when they look at him, they just shake their heads.
Doesn’t this particular account sound very much like what we would term as verbal “bullying”? Sure, it is on an intense level; nonetheless, it seems as though their constant bullying and slander began to take its toll on his inward man. He was poor, needy, and becoming weak from fasting; then to have all of his adversaries bully him without a cause – well, his heart became wounded.
Have you ever felt bullied or slandered? Have you been lied on? Have you been hated for no reason at all? Does it seem like the more good you do for certain people, the more they hate you? This is exactly how the Psalmist felt. It hurt him so deeply. Jesus was also treated this way but far, far beyond slanderous talk only. He was hated to the point of death. Scripture says that he was hated without a cause. In John 15:18, Jesus forewarns us, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” By this, we share in the fellowship of his sufferings. But take comfort… “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ” (2nd Cor. 1:5).
♦ Persecution: “A faith that can be destroyed by suffering is not faith.” These were the words of a man that knew suffering, persecution, and torture. Richard Wurmbrand was a Godly soul-winner who was imprisoned by the Communists for his faith in Christ. He was in prison and tortured (physically, mentally, and spiritually) for a total of almost 14 years. Nonetheless, he was not destroyed and was not bitter toward his persecutors; in fact, he tried to win them to Christ!
Remember, we can endure persecution and even a wounded spirit without it destroying us. “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed…” (2nd Cor. 4:8-9). You see, persecution is slightly different from slander alone in that persecution, oftentimes, also includes physical suffering inflicted by others. However, persecution needn’t be physical in order to cause us great pain.
But first, let’s clarify something. When we bring shame and punishment upon ourselves due to sin, well, we deserve to feel hurt when we are in the wrong. Such shame and hurt is definitely not considered “persecution” if we are being held responsible for wrong actions. Actually, to be held accountable for sin is right and just. But what about when we are serving God to the best of our ability and still endure being wounded, slandered, or persecuted? The Bible states that if we are Godly, we will be persecuted. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2nd Tim. 3:12). This may come as unwelcomed news to some; but we can take heart; for when we are persecuted, we know that we are living a good life that is pleasing to God.
Such persecution may come in various forms and various degrees of severity. One common form of being wounded is enduring persecution at the hands of a family member, a Pastor, a church congregation, or a friend. The Revivalist, Leonard Ravenhill, put it like this: “All you have to do is get in a closer walk with God and you’ll find your enemies are in your own church.” Yes, this can happen – and it wounds. It shouldn’t be this way, but sadly, many find that it is.
Nonetheless, we must realize that it’s humans wounding us – and that humans are all capable of sinning. This does not excuse the deep wounds they inflict upon us, but it helps us to see that we serve God and not humans. As Charles Spurgeon once said, “God save you from a religion that depends upon other people!” When all else is stripped away, can we stand before Christ on our own two feet? Is it truly Christ that we follow? Or are we idolizing a pastor, a Christian book author, or some other figure in our lives? Remember, we serve God – not man. We can’t let the wounds inflicted by mere mankind cause us to hold a grudge against God. This is misdirected anger and it is a dangerous trick of Satan.
♦ Being Lost: Another possible cause of a wounded spirit is living our lives without Christ. Sure, we may believe in him, but do we serve him? “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” James 2:19. It’s not enough to believe only; we must surrender our lives to the Lord.
When we live without knowing the weight of what Christ’s death on the cross means for us, we live shallow lives. Of course, many a sinner may eventually feel that their spirit is wounded – no, even worse – utterly lost and hopeless without God. In this sense, it is actually a righteous, healthy wound; for it drives us to Christ for salvation and to feel his healing administered to our tattered spirit.
Life without Christ may seem pleasurable for a season… but as Hebrews 11:25 teaches, the pleasures of sin are fleeting; there’s no true and lasting joy or stability living in such a way. This is precisely why millionaires who seem to have it all feel that they need drugs and alcohol to “numb the pain” within. This void in the spirit is why those who are “successful” by the world’s standards can so easily commit suicide. They feel hopeless and empty, and yes, their spirit feels wounded beyond repair due to the blows that sin has delivered. But fear not, Christ’s grace is greater than our sin!! (See Rom. 5:15).
♦ Trauma: I would venture to say that many people feel spiritual implications after enduring immense trauma. We are made in the likeness of God (see Gen. 1:26) therefore, in essence, we are triune beings. Triune simply means that we are three parts making up one whole person. Our three parts are mind, body, and spirit; whereas God is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (see Matt. 28:19). By this, we can see that the mind affects the body, the body affects the mind, the spirit affects the mind, etc. So, it stands to reason that when we are exceedingly sorrowful over a traumatic event, it may cause our spirit to feel downcast and/or wounded (see Ps. 42:5).
Trauma comes in many, many forms. We never know when/if trauma will strike. Of course, we always hope and pray that it doesn’t; but when/if it does, we have to heavily rely on our God and the strength he has placed into our spirit to pull us through. We must be diligent to seek God in order to keep the spirit within us strong at all times. In the good times, we cannot afford to forget about God or to leave him out of the equation. We must build ourselves up on the most holy faith (see Jude 1:20). We must guard our hearts/minds against that which would weaken our spirit (see Prov.4:23). This will help us survive should we have to endure an unforeseen trauma.
Even still, there are going to be times when we don’t feel strong. There are going to be times that we don’t even sense God’s presence. It may seem that he is a million miles away and that he doesn’t hear us. We may weep much, like the Prophet Jeremiah. We may despair of life, like the Apostle Paul. It may seem that our soul refuses to be comforted and that it is overwhelmed, like the Psalmist Asaph. We may even get so low that we wish that we were never born, like Job. Despite all of these very normal feelings that may occur in life, as long as we keep holding to God’s outstretched hand and keep trusting him; keep crying out to him – then we will not be defeated. We can’t give up – for who else do we have as mighty as God to set all things right in the end?
♦ A Faithful Wound of a Friend: All of the causes of a wounded spirit (listed above) reference something that feels very negative to us; things that are hard to endure such as slander, persecution, being in sin, trauma, or being hated without a cause. Most of these wounds (such as slander and persecution) are inflicted upon us by those who would consider themselves our enemy. However, there is a wound which is a faithful wound of a friend. Let me explain…
You see, when someone finds themselves in such a miserable state of sin or in a state of feeling very lukewarm in their spirit, they have two choices: They can forfeit the eternal well-being of their soul and stay miserable (which, in this life, can lead to substance abuse, other harmful behaviors, or suicide). Or, they can surrender to God and cry out for mercy and forgiveness. In this latter case, God must sanctify them so that they don’t self-destruct and land up in Hell. By this, it oftentimes may feel like it’s God himself inflicting the wounds in order to purge them of their sin or something in their life that is not good in his sight. As Job 5:18 says, “For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.” But what does this mean?
Again, let me reference the Pulpit Commentary which states it far better than I. It states:
It is a good surgeon who successfully removes that which causes his patient great harm. Sure, the surgeon must cut and wound his patient during surgery – but it is for the purpose of health. Furthermore, he also bandages his patient and does what he can to help him/her heal. This is exactly what the scripture in Job 5:18 is referring to.
When we become as clay in the Potter’s hands (God’s hands), we may feel kneaded and stretched at times. But in the end, we trust that he is making us into a vessel fit for his use and for his glory… and that he is preparing us to spend all eternity with him. He is such a faithful friend to us and he is our Great Physician – the only one who can do a supernatural work to bring about healing to our spirit and eternal security.
Healing for the Bruised and Brokenhearted
Perhaps, the exact situation you are encountering was not specifically mentioned in the previous section. However, we can summarize all hurt and wounds of the spirit by likening them to bruised and broken heart. The Bible has much to say about those who feel bruised and broken. Take comfort in the scriptures listed below:
“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” ~Psalm 34:18
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” ~Psalm 51:17
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…” ~Luke 4:18
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” ~Isaiah 53:5
“A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.” ~Matthew 12:20
Before closing, let’s explore a bit further on the topic of healing from a wounded spirit. As I’ve already mentioned and want to proclaim, the most important thing we can do is to keep our relationship with God alive amidst the harsh blows that we encounter in life. We must see to it that we stay close to the Shepherd! Our eternity is at stake and we can’t turn back or give up!
As the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, once said: “The tendency of fire is to go out; watch the fire on the altar of your heart. Anyone who has tended a fireplace fire knows that it needs to be stirred up occasionally.”
♥ Mourn. It’s okay to take some time to mourn. There is no sin in tears. There is a time and a season for everything… “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecc. 3:4).
♥ Pray. Ask God to restore your joy and to uphold you. “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Ps. 55:12). Believe in his restorative power.
♥ Ask Questions. In the event your spiritual wound was inflicted by something someone said about you in a slanderous way, ask yourself if what they said was, indeed, true; and if it was scriptural. If not – then don’t let a lie torment you any longer, dear Christian! I speak this from experience as one who has been the victim of slander and of falsehoods being spoken about me; as one who was hated without a cause.
♥ Be Still. In Psalm 46:10, scripture beautifully states: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Don’t worry about getting revenge. Let God fight your battles and put them into his capable hands. Don’t reward evil for evil. I have had to learn this lesson over the years. Micah 7:8 says, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” Be still and know that there will be justice – whether in this life or in the one to come (see Rom. 12:19). As Charles Spurgeon put it… “Every blow aimed against the godly will recoil on the persecutor; he who smites a believer drives a nail in his own coffin.”
♥ Readjust Your Focus. Don’t stew over fears, injustices, or wounds sustained. That’s easier said than done, but try this: Try readjusting your focus. Philippians 4:8 teaches, “… whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Likewise, focus on eternity and the weight of the glory that is to come (see 2nd Cor. 4:17). I like to read the book of Revelation to infuse my spirit with hope of better things in my future. Also, it’s good to readjust our focus onto someone other than ourselves. Nazi Concentration Camp survivor, Corrie Ten Boom, learned the power of readjusting her focus. She once said:
♥ Psalms, Hymns & Songs. Ephesians 5:19 helps us along our journey by instructing us with wise words. It says, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” There have been many Christians who have found peace in either singing praises to him or listening to praises. Something about making a joyful noise with the music and the voice (as referenced all throughout the book of Psalms and in Psalm 98:4) is very healing to the soul. Don’t focus on the melody, don’t focus on the singer… focus on God. Welcome his presence with your song, whether sung by you or another.
♥ Remain Hopeful. I’ll be honest, it’s not always easy to hold out a lot of hope for things to be “peachy keen” in this life; but we have amazing hope for eternity, where our best days are ahead of us. Such hope can spill over and give us joy for the journey we are still on here. Much like the Prophet Isaiah wrote… one day, we (as Christians) will have beauty for ashes, gladness instead of mourning, and praise instead of a spirit of heaviness. It’s true! Hold on, wounded soldier… help is on the way!
I close with this thought… Leonard Ravenhill and his Assistant Pastor used to sit in the church office at the end of the day and talk about the Lord. Oftentimes, the Assistant would put his feet up on the desk, lean back in his chair, smile, and say, “Well Len, another day’s march nearer home.” Never forget the hope that lies ahead, beyond all the wounds and heartache of this life.
Revealing Truth Today 
Very good words of wisdom
Excellent writing of truth.