One’s spirit sustains him through illness, but who can bear a crushed spirit?
For the arrows of Shaddai are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God’s terrors line up against me.
For I am afflicted and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Listen to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint and moan—
My heart shudders within me and the terrors of death sweep over me.
Moses spoke this way to Bnei-Yisrael, but they did not listen to him because of their broken spirit and cruel bondage.
A joyful heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
For our reason for boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world, and most especially toward you, with simplicity and godly sincerity—not by human wisdom but by the grace of God.
So instead you should forgive him and encourage him. Otherwise such a person might be swallowed up by excessive sorrow.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
You rejoice in this greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.