The God of all grace will restore you and make you strong.
Would you fix something that isn’t broken? Would you stitch a wound that isn’t there? Would you clean a non-existent stain?
Of course not.
When I read Psalm 23:3, something hit me:
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. – Psalms 23:3 NKJV
David writes that God restores his soul (or, in other translations, ‘refreshes’), so naturally, we may assume that David’s soul needed restoring. In some way, it was broken.
As Christians, it is important to realise that just because God promises to lead, guide, protect, and provide for us does not mean He will never allow us to “break.” Let that sink in.
Jesus said:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NIV
It can be tempting for preachers to teach that once you become a Christian, your life will be a cake-walk, free from troubles, pain, or temptations. Everyone wants to believe that. But it’s not what the Bible teaches. Here are some examples:
- God allowed the devil to torment Job to test his loyalty (Job 1:8-12)
- God gave Paul a “thorn in the flesh” and refused to remove it because His grace was sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
- The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted (Matthew 4:1)
But here’s the good news, just like David in Psalm 23, we, too, can count on God’s restoration for our souls:
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. – 1 Peter 5:10
