NEEDING MY SOUL RESTORED while homeless, living in motels, and subsisting on my husband’s traveling sales job, I journaled this prayer years ago:

Dear LORD,
Precious little sleep last night. We got to listen to a bunch of drunks sing karaoke at the bar until after 2:00 a.m. from the restaurant next to this motel room. Then at 5:30 a.m. the recycling truck backed under our second story window to collect a seemingly endless supply of bottles and cans, not to mention the loading devices grinding and whining. Just when those irritations finally faded into the distance and I was clinging desperately to the hope of miraculously falling back to sleep, a garbage truck came to collect a week’s supply of motel and restaurant garbage.

Yet, LORD, You met me in those early morning hours and refreshed my spirit in Your Word. “Your compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22-23). Now with the growing darkness comes weariness. Burdens feel heavier at night and seemingly insurmountable mountains loom on the horizon. Yet, Your sweet Spirit reminds me not to doubt in the darkness what You show me in the light. Your promise to care for us and go before us has not changed. When my soul feels too weary to go on and the night too dark to see what to do, “You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (Psa 73:24). In chosen trust You restore my soul!

Now living in a large home with a viable ministry, I still need those quiet waters and my soul still needs restoring, especially as I grow older. This last month a wonderful ministry family honored us with an extended visit. Our quiet, organized home suddenly filled with iPod music, piano practice, homeschooling books, lots of clothes and shoes, stacks of extra food and dishes, laughter, playful shrieks, disagreements, hurt feelings, loud voices, and pounding feet.

If you happen to be a gramma, wear new hearing aids that amplify everything, or already tremor, you will get this: Today I’m in restoration mode! This morning I moved into God’s sweet presence where He challenged my soul and restored it in Psalm 37:3-8.

Here the Shepherd challenged me to embrace absolute, unequivocal, unwavering trust instead of allowing fear and anxiety to rule my heart. He restored me to serve others not because they earned or deserved it, but because He is love and uses all circumstances to conform me to His beautiful image.

He challenged me to love Him more deeply than I love myself or having my own way. He restored my soul to surrender all I am and have to Him, to delight in Him and receive from Him more than I could have imagined.

The Shepherd challenged me to pledge all I am and do for His present and eternal purposes. In so doing I am comforted to know He will take care of my reputation. I don’t need to concern myself with what people think of me or say about me because He will reveal the truth in His time.

Finally, He drew me to rest in who He is and to trust His character of love, wisdom and power. What other people do, say, or think is between them and God. I can walk in freedom. Anger and fretting only make matters worse. He restores me to let go of injustice, misunderstanding, wrongdoing, or heartache.

So He restores our languid souls again and again. Not just once or twice or even a hundred times, but for as long as we keep casting our cares on Him! He cares deeply for each of us. Please rejoice in His faithful provision together with me.

RESTORATION

Rest in Me, My precious child,
Rest in My arms of grace.
Rest now until I come for thee,
Until you see My face.

For then all things will be made clear,
My purpose shall be known,
And all the heartache that you bear,
Be jewels before My throne.

Rest now from all your anxious cares,
I shall make all things new;
These trials will not compare at all
With the glory revealed in you.

So brush away those winsome tears
For things you cannot understand,
Remembering your name is carved
Within My heart, upon My hand.

Lift up your voice, give praise to Me,
For I shall lead you through
Each day, each night, each war, each fight,
By grace, My strength delivers you.

Rest and wait now patiently,
For things not understood,
For in My time and by My grace,
I’ll work all things for good.

Come to Me and be restored,
I will your strength renew
To soar on eagles wings with praise
For what I’ve done in you.

©—MarJean S. Peters