Reading: Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 61:1-3; 1 Peter 2:23

Devotional: If you've been wounded by gossip, Jesus sees your pain. Words can bruise deeper than fists, leaving scars of shame, betrayal, and distrust. Today, bring those wounds to the Great Physician. He is "close to the brokenhearted" and specializes in healing what words have destroyed. You don't need to defend yourself or retaliate—Christ is your vindicator. Release the burden of clearing your name; God can restore what you cannot fix. Forgiveness doesn't mean excusing the harm or pretending it didn't hurt.

It means refusing to let bitterness become your identity. Ask God to heal the "innermost parts" where those words lodged. Let Him exchange your ashes for beauty, mourning for joy, and despair for praise.