He Restoreth My Soul: Finding Hope in God’s Restoration

The 23rd Psalm contains some of the most comforting words in all of Scripture. When David wrote “He restoreth my soul,” he captured a profound truth about God’s character – our Shepherd doesn’t abandon us when we fall, but actively works to restore us back to His purpose for our lives.

What Does It Mean That God Restores Our Soul?

The word “restore” means to repair, to heal back that which is broken, and to bring something back to its original purpose. As believers, we live in a tension – our position is secure in Christ, but physically we’re still living in this fallen world where we mess up daily.

We don’t wake up planning to sin, yet we often find ourselves wandering away from God’s path. Like sheep that naturally wander, we drift off course and need the Shepherd’s restoring work to bring us back to where He wants us to be.

The Biblical Example of Restoration

Jesus demonstrated this restoration work in Matthew 12 when He encountered a man with a withered hand. The religious leaders tried to trap Jesus by asking if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus responded by asking them if they would leave their sheep in a pit on the Sabbath or rescue it immediately.

When Jesus told the man to stretch out his withered hand, it was “restored whole, like as the other.” The hand was brought back to its original purpose and function. This is exactly what God wants to do in our lives – restore us to the purpose He created us for.

Three Types of Pits We Fall Into

Pits That Are Part of Life

Sometimes we face difficulties and troubles that aren’t our fault – like the man with the withered hand. Bad things happen to good people because sin has entered the world. When we find ourselves hurt and off track through no fault of our own, the Shepherd comes alongside us to restore.

These situations leave us feeling hopeless and helpless, unable to fix our circumstances. But our Shepherd can reach down, clean us off, check us out, and place us back on the right path.

Pits When Others Wrong Us

Bad people do bad things to good people. David experienced this when the Amalekites attacked his city while he was away, taking all the women, children, and possessions. David and his men wept until they had no strength left to weep.

Instead of seeking revenge, David “encouraged himself in the Lord.” He prayed and sought God’s direction. When David followed God’s instructions, the Bible says “God restored all” – David recovered everything that had been taken.

When people hurt us, our natural response is to want to deal with it ourselves. But David’s example shows us that trusting God and pursuing His guidance leads to restoration.

Pits We Dig Ourselves

This is perhaps the most common situation – the problems we create through our own sin and poor choices. Like a sheep that falls into a pit and can’t get out on its own, we sometimes find ourselves stuck in situations of our own making.

David’s sin with Bathsheba illustrates this perfectly. He stayed home from war, looked with lust, committed adultery, and eventually murdered her husband to cover it up. What started as a moment of temptation led to years of suffering and consequences.

Why Do We Keep Falling Into Sin?

Sometimes our emotions override our better judgment. We know what sin will do to us, we know the consequences, yet our flesh takes control and we “poke” at sin anyway, thinking we can handle it.

David didn’t consider the full cost when he was looking at Bathsheba. He wasn’t thinking about losing his children or years of pain – he was only focused on what he wanted in that moment.

God’s Heart for Restoration

The beautiful truth is that God doesn’t look at us when we’ve sinned and say, “I’m tired of them.” Instead, He says, “I love them. My Son died for them. I’m going to restore them and give them back the purpose I have for them.”

In Psalm 51, David’s psalm of repentance after his sin, we see his cry for restoration: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.” David had lost his joy, his contentment, even though he was still the king. He needed the Shepherd’s restoring work.

The Process of Restoration

God’s restoration work involves three simple steps:

• Acknowledge the need for your Shepherd

• Admit that you need restoration

• Accept the work of the Shepherd

 

God doesn’t look at how bad we are – He’s already paid for our sins through Christ. He looks at what He has planned for us and works to restore us to that purpose.

Life Application

This week, examine your life honestly. Are you in need of restoration? Perhaps you’ve been wandering away from God’s path, or you’re stuck in a pit of your own making. Maybe circumstances beyond your control have left you feeling broken and hopeless.

The good news is that your Shepherd wants to restore you. He doesn’t love one person more than another – He loves you completely and wants to get you back on track with His purpose for your life. He wants to restore your joy, your contentment, and your sense of direction.

Don’t let pride or shame keep you from accepting God’s restoration. He’s not keeping score of your failures – He’s focused on your future and the plans He has for you.

Questions for Reflection:

• What areas of your life need God’s restoring work right now?

• Are you trying to fix your problems on your own instead of trusting the Shepherd?

• Have you lost the joy of your salvation, and are you ready to let God restore it?

• What steps will you take this week to acknowledge your need for restoration and accept God’s healing work in your life?