Word for the Day: A Different Kind of Brokenness

Would you condemn a person with a broken leg for stumbling or making a mess? No, because you see the cast, the crutches, the limp—and you understand that healing takes time. Yet, when it comes to those with broken mental health, a wounded childhood, or a fractured family, we’re often quick to judge and slow to offer grace. But why?

Brokenness comes in many forms, some visible, others hidden deep inside. The difference is only that one can be seen, while the other is buried beneath a smile, a silence, or a stumble in faith. We don’t always see the wounds left by life’s struggles—traumas, heartbreak, and pain that remain hidden.

To the Christian community, let us remember: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). When we see someone stumble, let’s respond with understanding, compassion, and a heart willing to help them heal. Just as we would support the person with a cast, let’s support those whose injuries are unseen, as they journey toward wholeness.

Instead of condemning, let us be agents of grace, lifting up the fallen, understanding the broken, and loving those who hurt.

-Jermy Arnold