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This Week’s Devotional Topic
RESTORE MY SOUL
Have you ever had times that you are just plain exhausted by life? You’re not just tired, you are overwhelmed by the stuff of this life. Sometimes it hurts down to our very soul. The truth is that all of us have gone through this experience and fact is that you will likely have it happen to you again. It is part of life on this earth and will be until we are in heaven. Praise God for His grace. This world is not our “home”.
God is our Comfort.
II Corinthians 1:1-7 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.
Jesus told His disciples that He would provide comfort.
John 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
The effect of this Spirit is a prescription for restoring our soul.
Galatians 5:22-25 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
My prayer for us is that God will build us back up as the Prophet Joel described to the people of Israel.
Joel 2:23-26 “Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. “The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…” “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you.”
Many years ago, I went through a time when I was tired every day and didn’t sleep good at night. There were times when, as my mother used to say, that “my get up and go, got up and went”. These were very sad days. I had no desire to do anything. It was horrible and I had no clue what was going on in my heart, mind, body and soul, let alone any idea how to change, to get better. Thank God for mature Christian friends that encouraged me and as I invested more and more time in God’s word, in prayer and focused on getting more rest, sleep and even some “comfort food” I slowly but surely came out of that dark valley. As I climbed out of that valley, I recognized that I had gone through “Burn Out”. It had totally caught me by surprise and unprepared. About a year later, I began to see the same signs and was able to avoid it that time.
As you recognize the signs that your very soul is weak and tired, get into God’s word and on your knees in prayer to Him. God’s perfect plan allowed His son, Jesus to be tempted in all points as we are.
Hebrews 4:14-16 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Isaiah 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
King David sums up how that the LORD will always help us through the dark valleys of life.
Psalms 23:1-6 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
If you haven’t memorized the twenty-third Psalm, you need to. You will find it to be one of the best ways to keep the right perspective and God will use this, His word, to restore your soul.
This week’s Scripture:
John 14:16-18; II Corinthians 1:1-7; Galatians 5:22-25; Joel 2:23-26; Hebrews 4:14-16; Isaiah 58:11 and Psalms 23:1-6
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