Psalm 23:3a He restores my soul.

One of the great revelations of the heart of God given to us by Christ is that of Himself as our Shepherd. He has the same identical sensations of anxiety, concern, and compassion for cast men and women as I had for cast sheep. This is precisely why He looked on people with such pathos and compassion. It discloses the depth of His understanding of undone people to whom He came eagerly and quickly, ready to help, to save, to restore.

When I read the life story of Jesus Christ and examine carefully His conduct in coping with human need, I see Him again and again as the Good Shepherd picking up cast sheep. The tenderness, the love, the patience that He used to restore Peter’s soul after the terrible tragedy of his temptations is a classic picture of the Christ coming to restore one of His own. (A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, Pg. 75)

The Lord is our Great Restorer! He’s the One Who restores and redeems us as well as bring beauty from the ashes. We will all suffer hardships and have disappointments in this life, but we are not alone for the King of kings and the Lord of lords is with us. He will give us His peace which surpasses all understanding and comfort our hearts in troubling times. All we need to do is turn to the Lord and rest in Him. Some trials can be very burdensome. Maybe you lost a loved one unexpectedly or maybe you received discouraging news from your doctor. Possibly, you lost your job or someone or something that was precious to you. These situations can be heart wrenching! I encourage you to run into the loving arms of your Savior Who loves you with an everlasting love. It is there in His presence where you will find sweet rest for your soul. He will embrace you, care for you, sustain you, and gently restore your soul as your Good Shepherd and your Redeemer.

Lamentations 3:22-23 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 

The toughness it takes to face life and the formidable reverses which it brings to us can come only through the discipline of endurance and hardship. In His mercy and love our Master makes this a part of our program. It is part of the price of belonging to Him. 

We may rest assured that He will never expect us or ask us to face more than we can stand (1 Corinthians 10:13). But what He does expose us to will strengthen and fortify our faith and confidence in His control. If He is the Good Shepherd, we can rest assured that He knows what He is doing. This in and of itself should be sufficient to continually refresh and restore my soul. I know of nothing which so quiets and enlivens my own spiritual life as the knowledge that God knows what He is doing with me! (A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, Pgs. 80-81)