Restored

 Have you ever felt out of sorts? You wanted to cry but didn’t know exactly why? Despondent? Depressed? In despair? I know—we Christians aren’t supposed to talk or think like this. But it’s true; at times, we suffer from emotional lows. At least, I have.

 My sister, let me share what has helped me through these exasperating times. The passage of Jeremiah 29:12–14. (I also like to read it from The Message as well as in the paraphrase above.)

 Look closely. What do you see? God makes four conditional promises. Here are the first three: call, come, and pray. And, if you will call, come, and pray, God will answer you!

Do you know what will happen when God answers you? He will restore you. He is a good Father, and He understands and knows what we need. He only waits for us to call, come, and pray. We suffer needlessly at times because we try to fix the problems ourselves. Then as a last resort, we bring our failed attempts to God.

Sister, make God your first choice, and you won’t need any other options.

 Then we read that “if you seek Me—I will allow you to find Me” (that’s the Cheryl Simmons paraphrase).

When we find God, He restores us, and our emotional needs dissipate. When we sit fully in His presence, the Holy Spirit begins to energize our minds into higher thoughts, and our brain is restructured.

Lord, help me get rid of my stinking thinking! Amen.

Today as you call upon the Lord and come before His throne in prayer, I ask you to seek His face earnestly. Then watch as He begins a restoration in you.

But that’s not all—as God restores you, He will also make you a blessing to others.

 Cheryl P. Simmons.