“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” (Proverbs 18:14)
A wounded spirit is in pain. It hurts through lack of love. But the very thing it wants it keeps at a distance. Why? Because it communicates the infection of bitterness. People are afraid to be around it. They fear they have not done enough and are also “on the list.” They would say or do something but they fear their overtures will be looked upon as “too little, too late.”
Who is able to bear a wounded spirit? In order to lift one up they have to let you touch them. A wounded spirit can be so disgusted by the failure of others, so filled with criticism, that it doesn’t even want to be contacted by anyone. Or, only by a certain few, who are still viewed as “good” people. But sometimes the good people don’t know if they are still “good” in the eyes of a bitter person. If they don’t reach out, their status may soon change, and they too may end up on the dreaded “list.”
Let us overcome our fear of not being loved. Let us love others who give little or no indication that they appreciate it, or even worse, show us hatred for our love. This is the kind of love that never fails. It is the love that overcomes evil with good. It is the love that is wise to win souls. Jesus bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. In the natural, we don’t want to bear a wounded spirit; but in the Spirit and love of Christ we can bear all things. We can give that hurting person what they long for. We can be good in the sight of God.