“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18, NKJV). Not distant during hard seasons. Near. This verse doesn’t promise God will explain the pain or remove it quickly. It promises His nearness in the middle of it.
There’s something significant in the order of this verse. It doesn’t say God is near to those who have it all figured out, or who’ve processed their grief neatly. It’s specifically the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit who are named here.
If you’re carrying something heavy into this new year, grief, disappointment, a loss that didn’t resolve when the calendar changed, this verse isn’t asking you to perform strength you don’t have.
It’s an invitation to believe that nearness, not distance, is God’s posture toward you right now, exactly as you are.