Restore Me!

The direct effect of being heavy laden is that you have no rest, no peace, and no joy. There is a hollowness that develops deep inside of you, even though you show the world your smile and your strength. This is all centered in the soul. The soul, like your spirit and body, needs intentional care and regular refreshing.

A quotation from a spiritual wellness site forces one to look at and measure the outward effect of what is going on inside.

Spiritual wellness means hope, positive outlook, acceptance of death (loss), forgiveness, self-acceptance, commitment, meaning, and purpose. It also includes clear values, a sense of worth, peace, worship, prayer, and meditation.

Along the way, as a laborer, you encounter situations of others that leave a residue in your heart. There are times when life deals very personal harsh blows that don’t make sense, such as divorce and the psychological and financial setbacks it leaves in its wake; blows concerning one’s children; the death of a close friend or family member; financial setbacks, including homelessness; and even the collapse of one’s church or business. The combination of these issues with the continuous care and labor of others, can test the boundaries of your strength and leave you questioning if there is even any real meaning to your life and if you are not simply a failure.

As the statement reveals, there is a real place of spiritual wellness you can bounce back to with the help of Christ. This is a place of forgiving yourself and others and moving on; a place of acceptance of death and loss, even though the inner pain remains; a place of finding meaning and purpose with your new normal—whatever that looks like—as you re-anchor your spirit, your soul, and your heart in Christ. It is a place of the restoration of your soul.

The following pages will take us into the journey of the soul: its composition, enemies, and afflictions. We also look at the ways we can prevail despite these drawbacks and walk as the overcomers we are destined to be. In the end, we need to drop off the dross and junk we accumulate over time and simply come back to Jesus so He gives us the rest within our souls that only He can give.

Here is a quick note on what to expect in the subsequent pages. Though the language is conversational, the content dives into a biblical look at the topic at hand, a theological examination in some areas, and then an interdisciplinary look to give us a more holistic idea of restoration within the soul. The underlying thread you will observe is the injection of scriptures. Each scripture is thoughtfully, prayerfully, and studiously inserted on the simple basis that the Word of God has the power to heal. The Word of God is inexhaustible. Within each scripture are layers upon layers of exegetic interpretation and application. This is rightfully so with the different types of literary devices utilized in the writing of the sacred scriptures.

This book could have easily become a lexicon of scriptures, but the ones provided are not for informational purposes. Rather, they are placed deliberately for you to pause, read in your own Bible, meditate on, and allow them to do their healing work in you. Believe the scriptures. Speak them aloud to your hearing. Believe in the power of the scriptures. Believe in the God who does not lie. After each chapter, there is a post-chapter meditation that challenges you to pick some key concepts and even scriptures to think on and pray with.

Finally, interspersed within the writing are prayers. Pause and pray along as you receive the power flowing from God through His Word to you.

Who Cares for the One Who Gives Care?
Meditation and Prayer
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I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways.
—Psalm 4:4

Selah.
Pause and Meditate. What have you learned about yourself from what you have read so far? Have any of the issues listed affected you? Who cares for you? You have taken the right step already. There will be these Selah moments after each chapter for introspection and prayer.

Pray with me: Lord, teach me how to pause and meditate on what You are trying to show me. Heal me and strengthen me as I read this book. Reveal Yourself to me in a new way. Amen.