You Can Star in an Episode of “Your Restoration Life”

I LOVE RESTORATION SHOWS ON TELEVISION!
  
Here are just a few of my favorites: Treehouse Masters; American Restoration; Counting Cars; and Flipping Houses. That’s the short list. I’m all in if a story delivers on these three ACTS:
  
ACT I       Start with something run down or not as it should be.
  
ACT II     Develop some kind of restoration strategy and action plan.
  
ACT III    Conclude with a dramatic reveal of the “new” prize.
  
Just yesterday my fascination with this genre got me wondering “where is that coming from?”
  
The answer came pretty quick. God helped me see that this restoration metaphor in my life mirrors Christ’s restorative power to rescue us when we are feeling down or experiencing some kind of challenge and need God’s intervening touch of grace and healing.
  
IT’S A “GOD RESTORATION”
  
Needing a “God Restoration” in our life is not an if question—it’s a when certainty.
  
It could come from a debilitating financial setback, addiction, abuse, traumatic event, infidelity, eating disorder, childhood confusion and pain, sexual sins, feelings of unworthiness, physical challenges, or low self-esteem. Once again…that’s the short list.
  
Whatever the cause or reason, God will show up when we need a restoration. For me, when I land in that predicament and have that need, my response is to activate God’s restoring hand by taking these three steps:

1. GIVE IT TO GOD
2. TAKE ACTION
3. APPLY THE LEARNING

ONE: GIVE IT TO GOD
  
The beginning stage of God’s Restoration process is sharing your heart and outlining the specific circumstances causing the pain or challenge. The goal is to get God’s direction, discernment, and perspective in order to identify RESPONSE OPTIONS.
  
That’s the focus of step one–giving it to God with total belief that he can and will act on your behalf.
  
“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!  He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.”  Ephesians 3:20
  
TWO: TAKE ACTION
  
Once we have shared our heart with God and received his direction and response options, it is time to make a bold commitment to take action and then bathe it in unceasing prayer.
  
“The God of heaven will give us success.  We his servants will start rebuilding…”  Neh. 2:20
  
THREE: APPLY THE LEARNING
  
Once we have shared our heart with God, received his direction, and committed to take action, we must begin applying whatever we’ve learned and share it with others.
  
We have a responsibility to learn from our experiences walking with God—both on the mountains and in the valleys—so we continue to grow spiritually. He wants each new growth spurt build on the last one so it can compound and multiply its blessings exponentially.
  
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”                         2 Timothy 3:16-17
  
RESTORATION IS FRIGHTENING
  
Yes! Restoration is frightening. But so is enduring the pain produced by whatever is causing the need for relief. I’ll take the restoration ride with God every time.
  
Remember, God is in the life restoration business. This is what he does! Whatever you have been hurt or damaged by, he wants to completely restore it, and you. Heck, he wants to make it even better than it was before.
  
“At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ–everything in heaven and on earth.” Ephesians 1:10