Restoration

Heart Prep

Think about the things that have broken your relationship with God, or things that you may have allowed to interrupt it. Open your heart to see those things, repent, and find restoration, so your relationship with God can be what it should be.

1 Peter 5:10  “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

Through any trial in life, we must believe that there will be an end and that God will show mercy and give grace for our restoration. Imagine a piece of your grandmother’s furniture. I think of my granny’s dining room table. Although it wasn’t the prettiest, it served its purpose. I am sure when she first got the furniture, it was all shiny, and sturdy, and didn’t have a scratch on it. Looking at it 60 years later, I see it is full of dents and dings, it’s a little wobbly, and no longer shiny. Our lives start out fresh and new, but over the years things happen that may leave us battered and broken, scarred, and wobbly in our faith. But we
can be restored, confirmed, and strengthened by Christ Himself. Have you seen a piece of restored
furniture? Beautiful!

In yesterday’s story, Molly faced a trial. She wasn’t sure how long it would last, and she didn’t know what the outcome might be. She lost hope and peace, forgetting that God’s plan is always perfect. But He sent people into her life and results that gave her the assurance she needed. Through prayer and reading God’s Word, she truly placed her faith in the promise that He would restore her. Not just physically, but spiritually. He began, by restoring her faith in Him, and gave her hope, and the peace that surpasses
all understanding.

Will all trials in life concern our health? No. Are all trials a result of our choices?  No. But, when we make choices that go against God’s will, we wrong Him. (Psalm 51:4) We must repent of our sin and ask for forgiveness. When we wholeheartedly repent, God forgives us, we are brought back into fellowship with Him, we are renewed and restored to usefulness, and we can praise Him more and more.

Life Application

Read these wonderful Scriptures, and make notes of what is meaningful to you.

Deuteronomy 30:1-10;  Joel 2:25-26;  Jeremiah 17:14; 30:17;  Psalm 51:12; 71:20-21; 103:1-5;

Job 42:10;  James 5:16

What things have you faced that may have caused you to doubt restoration?

Are there choices that you have made that you need to repent of in order to be restored?

How can you help a friend find restoration in their relationship with God?