December 29
Seen and
Supported
"The Lord is close to those whose hearts have been broken. He saves those whose spirits have been crushed."
Psalm 34:18 (NIrV)
Chesney was good at faking it.
Every morning, he put on the same mask—calm, collected, capable. At work, he smiled, cracked jokes, met deadlines. No one saw the weight pressing on his chest, the exhaustion that seeped into his bones. At home, he avoided eye contact in the mirror, afraid of the emptiness staring back at him.
He had always been the strong one. The one who didn’t complain, didn’t crack. Admitting something was wrong felt like failure. Weakness. So, he pushed it down. Until the cracks started showing.
It began with small things. Snapping at coworkers over minor mistakes. Forgetting deadlines. Coming home and sitting in his car for an hour before forcing himself inside. Then, one night, he exploded at his sister over something ridiculous—something he couldn’t even remember the next morning.
That was the night his dad sat him down in the living room.
Chesney didn’t say much at first, just stared at the floor. His dad sighed, rubbed his hands together, then spoke.
"I see it, son. You’re not okay. And that’s okay. But you don’t have to go through this alone."
Chesney clenched his jaw. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
His dad didn’t push. Just sat there. Patient. Steady.
"You know," he finally said, "I’ve had my own battles. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re drowning but be too afraid to ask for help. But God doesn’t call us to fight alone."
Chesney swallowed hard. His father’s voice was gentle but firm, cutting through the wall he had built.
"I don’t want to be like this," Chesney admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
His dad reached over, gripping his shoulder. "Then let’s get you some help. I’m with you, every step of the way. And so is God."
Chesney exhaled, a breath he felt like he had been holding for years.
That night, he prayed—really prayed—for the first time in a long time. Lord, I can’t do this on my own. Help me.
And for the first time in months, he felt something shift. Maybe healing wouldn’t happen overnight. Maybe it would take time. But he wasn’t alone. And that was enough.
Prayer:
Father, You see the broken places in my heart, even when I try to hide them.
You know the struggles I don’t say out loud.
Thank You for being close to me when I feel lost and crushed.
Give me the courage to reach out for help, the humility to lean on others, and the faith to trust that You are working in my pain.
Remind me that I am never alone.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
