Yesterday’s conference was amazing! The worship, the speakers, and the fellowship, all made for a great day. Many received healing and renewed hope. With that in mind, I am writing about restoration, which is what Hearts Being Healed is all about. “The restored life.”
God’s desire for each one of us is to live a restored life. He doesn’t want us to stay broken. He will take what was broken and make it new. Our past mistakes, the bad decisions made or someone else made that lead to the carnage in our lives, and our pain, can all be used for God’s glory. He is able to turn our lives into something beautiful.
Isaiah 61:3
“To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness. The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
I love that God can take our mess and make it beautiful. We don’t have to stay in the messes we created. We can be oaks of righteousness. Why an Oak Tree? The oak tree symbolizes strength and endurance. Other qualities associated with the oak tree include protection and stability. The oak trees roots go down deep enabling the tree to maintain its strength above ground. We can stand tall once again and in the knowledge of who He says we are. We are, after all, made in His image. Let’s start looking like it!
Jeremiah 17:7-8
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
He also takes our ashes and gives us a garland. He decorates us with His glory and makes us beautiful. He gives us a crown of righteousness. Our hearts begin to match His. We are His display of splendor! Now that’s a good trade in for our ashes!
How do we maintain the restored life we received lest we fall prey once again to the trials life has in store for us?
Eph 4:23-24 AMP
“and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind (having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude), and put on the new self (the regenerated and renewed nature), created in God’s image, (godlike) in the righteous and holiness of the truth (living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation).”
Maintaining a healthy soul is crucial to a sound mind. It is an area that we should see continued growth. If you’re not progressing, you’re stagnant. The lack of development means you’re just skating through life without any thought or intent. Developing a healthy soul involves intention. There should be forward movement in order to reach the desired result. You won’t get there by only thinking about it. If your life has been restored, don’t stop there. MOVE FORWARD!
Maintaining a healthy soul also requires receiving healing from past wounds, forgiving others, letting go of resentments and all other strongholds in your life. Freedom in these areas is necessary for having and maintaining a healthy soul.
Since you are the keeper of your soul, you are responsible for nourishing and maintaining it. Reading God’s word, praying and spending time with God, attending a Church that speaks truth with love, and fellowshipping with like-minded people are all components that aid in accomplishing being and staying healthy. Just like the oak tree, we need to have deep roots in order to stand against the storms life throws our way.
1 Timothy 4:8
“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
When we are purposeful and allow Holy Spirit to develop us we get this:
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
Last but not least, the pain of our past can be used to give others hope. When our lives are transformed, we become vessels of hope for those looking to find healing. God will use our stories to help other people find restoration. When we experience freedom from our past, people take notice and want what we have. We are to give away what we have been given. Let it multiply! It was freely given to us, let us freely give it to others.
Isaiah 61:1-3
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
May the life you have been given reflect the restoration you’ve received!