“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.: (Psalm 34:18)
Do you remember middle school? Does anyone survive those awkward years without a good dose of humiliation? Middle school is a Petri dish of peer pressure where anything you say or do can be used against you.
Humiliation is more painful than we realize. Researchers have discovered that the same regions of the brain active during physical pain are also activated during intense experiences of social rejection. Don’t we all have memories of social rejection, painful pput=downs, or public call outs, that still make us wince? Humiliating others is too often celebrated in our social media culture where missteps can go viral and cyber bullying is a real threat. Spirits can be crushed by such tactics, but God draws near to mend and heal our brokenness.
Examine: Sit with a memory of humiliation. Breathe. Notice thoughts and feelings that arise. Notice your body’s response.
Imagine: Imagine God drawing near to you in that moment of humiliation, scattering your assailing enemies. Like a puzzle whose pieces have scattered across the floor, God gathers the broken pieces of you, puts you back togehter, and restores you to wholeness.
Pray: Free me from pain, O God, so I can live with healing.
