“The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear” (Proverbs 18:14, Amplified)?

The physical scares and pain of abuse will usually heal with time, but the inner brokenness and wounds that result are not so easily mended.  In Luke chapter 4, verse 18, Jesus quotes a passage from Isaiah 61 which says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has 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,” Jesus is declaring that He has come to heal our brokenness; those inner wounds and hurts which cannot be seen with physical eyes.

Isaiah goes on to say, He comes to give us beauty for our ashes.  When arson has been committed in our lives and all we have left is ashes, He exchanges it for a garland of beauty.  He gives us His fresh oil of gladness for mourning, and the garment expressive of praise instead of a heavy, burden and failing spirit.