Restoration

My topic for today is God's restoration of our lives. Let's start with the dictionary definition of the word, restoration:

- The act of restoring; renewal, revival, or reestablishment.
- The state or fact of being restored.
- A return of something to a former, original, normal, or unimpaired condition.
- Restitution of something taken away or lost.
- Something that is restored, as by renovating.

In our busy lives, we all have times when we wish that the clocks could stop ticking long enough so that we could simply breath. Our lives are not only chaotic and busy, but, in many situations, they are also laced with pain and grief. Every person has a different story, but one thing remains the same: no life is perfect and no life is easy. God didn't create it to be that way. In spite of this, God gives us a promise that in the midst of all of the chaos, we can stop and come to Him.

 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28

In this time, He restores our soul. He renews our lives with His amazing love and strength. Psalm 23:3 explains very well what I am talking about. I have three different translations so that we can take a look at this well-known verse from a new angle:

"He restores my soul."

"You refresh my life."

"You let me catch my breath." 

God takes our lives stained with fear, doubt, stress, anger, bitterness, and depression and restores them. He reestablishes us as His children, no matter what our back story is. He returns us to an unimpaired condition. He renovates our lives so that we can be used by Him for His glorious purpose. 

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you." ~ 1 Peter 5:10