December 19

Afflictions, But No Broken Bones

He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken. — Ps 34:20 BSB

This promise is spoken to the righteous who suffer much: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” The righteous person may endure wounds and pain, but no real harm will come to them—“not a bone of him shall be broken.”

This is a great comfort to a child of God going through trials, and I can accept this comfort as my own. Up to this point, I have endured many afflictions but have suffered no lasting harm. My faith, hope, and love are still intact. In fact, rather than losing these essential parts of my character, they’ve only grown stronger through the trials. I now have more knowledge, experience, patience, and stability than I did before. Even my joy remains, despite the bruises I’ve received from sickness, loss, depression, slander, and opposition. Those bruises have healed, and not a single bone has been broken—no matter how serious the trial.

If we trust in the Lord, He keeps all our bones safe. And if He keeps them, not one will be broken. So, come on, my heart! Don’t be downcast. You may be hurting, but none of your bones are broken. Be strong and endure hardship, without fear.