Overcoming the Past - God Restores (Daily Devotional)

Shalom and thank you for joining us here for another series of Living Supernaturally, a time that we look into God's word, choose a topic, learn something, and even pray. So, this week ahead, we're going to be looking at a topic of ‘Overcoming the Past’. There are times in our lives that we go through challenges, we go through struggles, and very often, we do carry some painful stories. A lot of them that may be marked by pain, may be marked by rejection, may be certain regrets, loss or even failure. And this past, if not dealt with, affects the way that we see ourselves, the way we see others and the way that we even view God. There are many past experiences that can leave us emotionally hurt and even bring about spiritual wounds and this could be rejection, it could be abandonment, betrayal, abuse, failure, shame, loss, neglect, unmet expectations and this list can keep going on and on. The damage of the past can leave us feeling very depleted, directionless, but you and I do not have to stay there. If anyone listening here today has felt stuck in shame, weighed down by some wounds, haunted by some memories that they wish they could just get away from, we are going to do that through the truth of God’s word. We will journey together through this week ahead and look for healing, hope and the freedom to keep looking forward and overcome the past. So, through this week, we are going to look at factors that will help us overcome the past through God's word. One of the things that Scripture reminds us is that it is God who restores. Thinking about a familiar Psalm in Psalm chapter 23 verse 3 says, ‘He restores my soul.’ This verse shows us that the heart of God's work is healing and renewing us after we've been wounded or we've been lost or even burdened by the past. The word restore means to return, to refresh or to bring back to life. When we are worn down by our failures, by trauma, regrets or sin, God just doesn't help us cope, He revives us when we are depleted. We know that the soul is the seat of our emotions and our soul can often be broken by grief, by abandonment or by abuse, but God does not ignore these wounds. As the psalmist says, ‘He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.’ As the soul spirals with fear, with shame, with anger, God invites us into His stillness. He restores us not by fixing everything outside of us, but by anchoring us to His presence. When we carry shame, He restores our identity. When we feel grief or we are bitter, He brings us back to peace. When we feel spiritually dry, He is the one who brings us back to new life. God tends to our inner damage and the inner wounds and He makes us whole again. So, God is the one who restores us to make us whole again. As you listen today, you may be experiencing deep sorrow or wounds due to some past situation. God restores your soul and knows that you truly need healing and He is the one who will help you overcome the past. Let's pray together, Heavenly Father, I pray for each one listening today. Anyone who comes with deep wounds and past hurts, we hold on to the truth that you are the one who restores us back to wholeness again. You are the one who breaks away our shame, our grief, our bitterness and gives us new life. We thank you that you have done this Lord for us, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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