How to Treat a Wounded Spirit

Wounded - An injury to an organism, one in which something is torn, pierced, cut, or otherwise broken. Psalm 109:2-4,22- For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause. For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
Psalm 147:3 - He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Our Lord is the Great Physician, He heals the broken heart and spirit and He restores joy to our hearts and soul.
Proverbs 18:14 - The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? Did you know you can die from a wounded spirit? If your saved though, death won’t take your spirit. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities; it brings on depression, and sorrows, which causes weakness and possibly the attitude of just giving up.
Psalm 109:22 - For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
So, how can you tell if someone has a wounded spirit?
1. They are angry
2. They have resentment
3. Their communication skills shut down
4. They are disconnected
5. They are depressed – Proverbs 17:22 - A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
6. They show signs of weakness – Proverbs 18:14 - The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
A wounded spirit traps you, it traps you in depression and despair, when your spirit is wounded, wake up every morning praising the Lord, even when it’s hardest to do so; if you don’t, you could find yourself backsliding, leaving the church, filing for divorce or worse, considering suicide.
Proverbs 15:13 - A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
Job 6:4 - For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.
Husbands and wives, and even parents and children should grow together. Families should grow together and get involved in your church and church service.
Proverbs 15:4 - A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. A perverse tongue is when you say something to someone you shouldn’t have said, like, out of depression, frustration or anger. These things hurt the recipient to the core.
Proverbs 18:8 - The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Zechariah 13:6 - And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
Psalm 55:21 - The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
Don’t compare your spouse to another man or woman, ever; for when you do, you crush their spirit. Psalm 22:7 - All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head,
Also, be careful what you promise, if you regularly break promises, it creates a broken spirit. Proverbs 15:4 - A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. There is power of life and death in the tongue. Your tongue is used to either tear someone down or lift them up. Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. The tongue that cuts someone down is like a knife stabbing them in the heart over and over, deeper and deeper.
However, that same tongue, can heal and edify someone, and express love and concern. But, if it is also being used to cut someone down, they will more likely remember being cut down then being lifted up; people are more likely to remember being hurt over edification.
Psalm 119:161;165 - Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word; Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
What do you do when you see someone who is hurting? Do you go out of your way to get out of the way? Do you comfort them? Are we really so busy in our lives that we can’t comfort someone who is hurting? Are we so busy we can’t show them the love of Christ, by helping them and meeting their needs or just being a listening ear?
When you don’t treat a wound there is a very high possibility it will get infected; it causes division in your body – the same principle holds true for spiritual wounds. When left untreated, they cause division among families, friends, co-workers. Don’t let anyone wound your spirit; don’t be defeated. Don’t let satan defeat you, tell him the One in you is greater than he is.
Isaiah – 53:5 – 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.
Psalm 109:22 - For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
Jesus was wounded for you and for me, and even though He was wounded, He was healing us. When spiritual wounds come your way, don’t get bitter, don’t allow satan to get that foothold. Let Christ heal your wounded spirit, He is the only one who can.
Jenn