When You Need to Be Restored

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” Psalm 23: 1-2 ESV

 Do you ever feel totally spent? The end of the day feels like the end of a very long year. Your brain is fried. It’s an effort to pick up your feet and shuffle to the refrigerator for something cold to drink. Every move seems to take more effort than it should. You are completely depleted. What do you do to get back your energy and momentum? How do you restore what has been lost?

What does it mean to be restored? “Re-” always has to do with going back to an original state. To be restored is to be brought back to original condition or quality. It is to regain vitality or beauty or usefulness.

Do you need to be restored? What led to that state? It could be a destructive choice by you or someone else. It could be that life is just throwing a lot at you right now and you are expending all your energy to just survive. Perhaps wading through all those challenges has sapped every bit of joy and hope out of you. You may need to be restored if you’ve lost the joy of following Jesus. Or if you have strayed from following Him and allowed other things to become more important. Or maybe you have flat out rejected Him and His Word.

If you have wandered, experienced, pain, lost your joy, or just allowed busyness to crowd out your relationship with God and others, you may be in need of restoration. This is for you, my friend.

The remedy that leads to restoration is to give God your YES. When you give God your YES, you trust Him for restoration. Give God your YES. Let Him give you rest.

To give God your YES is to accept where you are right now and stop trying to fix everything. It is to release control and the desire to manage outcomes. To give God your YES is to say with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”’  (Luke 1:38 NIV)

 Here’s what will happen when you give God your YES.

 He restores your past. Everything is redeemable. Restoration means that the past is redeemed. It does not define the future. It becomes part of it. To be redeemed is to be bought back and returned to the original state or owner. It’s very much like restoration….

I don’t know all that happened in your past. That painful conversation or the stinging words that stuck and became part of your identity. I don’t know what tragedy or trauma you may have experienced because of someone else’s choices. I don’t know where you strayed from the path and left a trail of damage in your wake. Those regrets and wounds can be redeemed. Jesus went to the cross for your past and mine so that our relationship with God can be restored and we can be healed. He paid the price to redeem the sins in your past. His blood restores your soul.

 He restores your present. Everything has a purpose. You may need to be restored if today is all you can see. Sometimes, the mundane tasks of daily life or current unexpected challenges cloud our ability to recognize the bigger picture. Sometimes your current obstacle seems so big that you can’t imagine there is life on the other side of it. There are times when now can be confusing, painful and overwhelming. The question that comes to mind over and over is “Why?”

When life seems meaningless and confusing in the present, give God your YES. That YES is a declaration of trust. “God, I trust that You are going to bring something good out of this mundane mess.” Your YES opens the door for Him to pour in His Spirit and give you the strength you need to handle the challenges in front of you because you believe there is a reason for it, even if you can’t see the reason right now.

When Jesus was on the cross, his disciples could see no good reason for the pain they were experiencing. Nothing made sense. It was not until Jesus rose from the dead and explained things to them that they could see the purpose. Jesus will redeem your clouded present when you give Him your YES. His sacrifice restores your present by renewing your purpose.

 He restores your future. Everything will become clearer. Just as your YES to Jesus redeems the present and gives you hope that now will make sense then, your YES gives you hope that there are brighter days in the future. Believing that you will someday understand what is incomprehensible now gives you hope for the future.

You may need to be restored if the challenges of life have brought you so low that you have lost hope for the future. It’s hard to see anything getting better. You don’t see yourself in satisfying relationships. You see no opportunity to advance. You can’t see yourself or those you love flourishing. You can’t see beyond the bills on the table, the mountain of laundry, the broken relationship, or your prodigal child’s painful choices.

When you surrender your future to the God of hope, He will give you all joy and peace as you trust in Him. You will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) What seems to be lost will be found as you move toward it. He will guide your path to a place of abundance and opportunity. You will begin to envision a place of flourishing in the future. Your vision will return.

My friend, Jesus offers you an invitation to come to Him, give Him your YES, and experience the rest that only He gives. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

My friend, His yoke is easy. His burden is light. To take His yoke on your means that He is in the yoke with you. He’s carrying the burden and working the challenge with you. You are not alone. Give Him your YES. Let Him give you rest.

 Key Question: What does it mean to be restored?

A Scripture to Consider: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” Psalm 23: 1-2 ESV

A YES Challenge: Set a timer for two minutes of silence. In those two minutes, allow God to show you a place where you need to be restored. When the timer ends, talk to Him about what you need.  

Prayer: Father, I am spent. You see all that has been happening lately. You know better than I do how the past is affecting me now. You hear the loss of hope when I speak to others and to You. I need you to restore my soul. I give you my YES today. You are the answer to all that I need. You are my shepherd to lead and guide me to abundance, restoration and hope. Amen.

Check out my book The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word for more encouragement and inspiration. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.

Why Rest Matters for Reaching Your Goals

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalms 23:1 NLT

 Rest matters. If you are not carving out time to take care of yourself, it is time to start. And I mean NOW! If you are like me, you wear multiple hats. Whether you are a mom, dad, pastor, CEO, or grocery store clerk, or all of the above, you function in more than one way. You serve others in a variety of ways, whether you recognize it or not. Every task you have on your never-ending to-do list serves someone. It could be your family, your company, or your church, but other people are reaping the benefits of your actions.

If you don’t take care of yourself, you have nothing to give anyone else. You will run out of energy and concentration. What are you doing to rest and replenish?

God initiated the Sabbath for His people after 400 years of slavery, working every day with no rest. He told the prophet Elijah, the disciples, and others in the Bible to come apart and rest. Why would He expect anything else for you and me?

 So, why is rest important for fulfilling God’s purposes for you?

 Rest results from following His guidance. When you and I are so busy trying to come up with a plan, we expend a ton of energy and, whether we recognize it or not, we operate with a measure of anxiety. Consciously or unconsciously, being unsure of what is next prevents us from truly resting and relaxing.

If you are a responsible person, and I know you are, you don’t want to be unproductive. You want to feel like you are making a difference. So, your brain is almost always busy because you feel responsible for outcomes. You feel like you have to figure everything out. But you don’t.

Because the Lord is your shepherd, He is prepared to guide you. He wants to guide you. He wants to take care of you. He’s got the plan and you don’t need to figure it out. That is rest. Knowing that He’s got the plan leads you to internal rest.   

Rest leads to restoration. Restoration only happens in the place of rest. To be restored is to be brought back, returned to a place or condition. A woodworker cannot restore a table that is prepared for a family dinner. The dishes, food, and other items must be removed, and the family must dine somewhere else. Then the craftsman may begin his work.

While our house was being renovated, we lived with my sister for five months.  Was that a place of rest? Maybe not so much for us, but it was for the house! The house had not been cared for and could not be a place of rest for us until its restoration was complete.  Staying in the house would have prevented the contractor from doing the work. We had to remove ourselves so that restoration could happen.

We envisioned some simple, quick cleanups that would allow us to move in after a relatively short period of time. Our contractor envisioned a house that was completely new on the inside. It was inconvenient. It took longer than we wanted, but it was completely worth it. Because we “rested” from living in the house and the house “rested” from having people live in it, we have a beautiful home that provides us with a place of rest. 

Where do you need to be restored? If you are busy doing, there is no room for restoration.

Rest leads to replenishment. When you rest, you are refilled. You end up with more to give. And if you make this a regular practice, you will have more than enough.  Restoration leads to overflow. Overflow is what we give to others. When we have all we need and more, we have enough to share with the people we interact with.

If I don’t rest, I get grumpy and emotional. What about you? When I do rest, I become filled with peace, and that is what overflows to the people around me. I know peace is not my natural state. I may seem pretty even on the outside, but inside my mind is always busy. Learning to slow down and let my mind and spirit rest is what leads to an overflow of peace. I am still working on this. Believe me!

 So, my friend, are you ready to stop trying to figure it all out and let Him lead you to rest? Do you long for the restoration that only happens in a time of rest? Do you need more? When you rest, you allow restoration to happen, and that leads to more progress on reaching your goals. You’ll also be able to better serve the people around you and knock out more of those to-do items. Isn’t that work planning some rest?

 Key Question: Why is rest an important part of fulfilling God’s purpose for you?

A Scripture to Consider: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalms 23:1 NLT

A YES Challenge: Honestly evaluate your self-care practices. Decide when and how you will rest and replenish yourself. Make that evaluation a weekly practice as you review your schedule.  

Prayer: Father, I want to serve You, my family, and other people well. It’s easy for me to get focused on doing for others and forget that taking care of myself is not selfish. When I refresh and replenish myself, I can serve those around me from a full tank rather than an empty one. Show me how to do this intentionally. When I serve from a place of rest I honor You and that is my highest goal. Amen. 

What You Need to Help You Follow Through

 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NLT“

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NLT

We all have dreams. You may not have thought about yours for a long time. Perhaps life has swallowed up your initiative to follow through on them, but they are still there. What are they?

Perhaps you have crafted your dream into a goal. You may even have written it down and made a plan. But just maybe, life has swallowed your plan along with your drive to follow through, and you find it hard to move forward. You may feel stuck. Is that you?  

The truth is, we don’t have the power to follow through on our dreams and goals until we hear God speak. When He speaks, we receive the power to follow through. What has God spoken to you, and what will you do about it?

If you believe God has spoken to you, what is your next step? Let me offer a suggestion.

Confirm – Pray and be sure that you have heard correctly. Ask trusted people in your life for input. Important decisions require confirmation from more than one source. You are not in this alone. So, don’t isolate yourself. Reach out for support.

Craft a plan to fulfill what God has spoken. Writing it down helps you think through the details but also gives you a concrete reminder to review. Post that plan where you will see it regularly. It’s worth the effort.

Take the next step. That is all. You can only take one step at a time. So, do it! You can’t skip to the end as much as you may want to.

In recent years, I have realized skipping to the end is what I often want most. I want to leap over all the middle steps and just land at the deeply desired goal. Every important, God-inspired goal holds so many more middle steps than I expect. Reaching that goal takes so much more grit, determination, and perseverance than I want. But those middle steps are how God grows my character. I will miss that important aspect if I skip to the end, and so will you.

Here is the bottom line: The power to achieve comes from God. But you and I must choose to move.

What is God saying to you, my friend? How will you respond? What is your next step?

 Key Question: What has God spoken to you, and what will you do about it?

A Scripture to Consider: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NLT“

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NLT

A YES Challenge: Whether you have written them out or not, review the goals you have set for yourself. Ask God to highlight the goals He wants you to follow through on. Then, ask Him to empower you to take the next step toward it.

Prayer: Lord, Your word says that there are many plans in human hearts, but that You are the one who directs our steps. I want my plans to line up with Yours. On my own, I can never accomplish anything of value. I need You and Your power. Fill me. Guide me. Lead me in the right path for Your honor and glory. Amen.

 If you’d like to learn more, you can check out the book here. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.