Restoration
One of the calls we frequently respond to at the fire department involves car wrecks. Often, these are small accidents where damage and injuries are minor, thanks to modern vehicles designed to keep occupants safe. However, there are times when accidents are more severe, with cars rolling over and sustaining extensive damage that requires extrication, or removing the occupants from the car. Most people are familiar with the Jaws of Life—heavy pneumatic tools we use to cut and spread metal, allowing us to access those trapped inside and remove them from harm.
Because cars land in unnatural ways or dangerous places, they are unstable. Any unexpected movement, especially when cutting the car apart can cause it to shift and cause further injury to the occupants or the firefighters trying to rescue them. Before we extricate, we stabilize the car, using chains and struts to secure its weight. Once the vehicle is stable, we methodically cut pieces away, breaking windows and removing doors, all to free the occupants inside. After the parts have been cut out and a path is cleared, the patients are removed from the vehicle and transferred to waiting paramedics that can assess and treat injuries. However, what’s left of the car is often a mangled pile of twisted metal, broken pieces, and shattered glass—a stark reminder of what once was.
Now, stick with me on this analogy. The patient is prioritized and rushed to the hospital for healing, but the car has been destroyed. The car ultimately doesn’t matter at this point. The patient and their well-being is the most important part; they have to heal. After the accident, phone calls are made to the insurance company, which provides compensation for the car's value before the crash. If you drove a 2019 Ford Ranger with 60,000 miles, you should theoretically get enough money to buy another similar vehicle. Unfortunately, if you want a brand-new car, you’ll need to pay the difference.
God’s insurance policy works a bit differently. He promises restoration. The biblical definition of restore, based on the original Greek translation, means to bring back to the original design. So, in reality, God is not just promising a new car; He’s promising to return your vehicle to its original state—before there were fries stuck in the seat, before the oil burned, before the windshield cracked, and before the speakers blew. On top of that He has a warranty that promises that anytime there’s damage, we can bring it to Him, and He’ll fix it.
But why do wrecks occur in the first place? Why do we find ourselves in places of hardship and despair in our lives? To answer that I think we first need to look at the process of restoration and what happens after a wreck. Once a car is wrecked, it lands in an unstable position and requires stabilization—just as firefighters stabilize the vehicle, we need to seek stability. This is recognizing what caused us to end up in this spot and stop it from causing more damage. We must then be removed from the situation, cutting away anything that traps us and prevents healing. Healing is a process that requires us to surrender control. Worrying about our car until we are healed is futile because, until the doctor clears us, we can’t drive it anyway.
Stability comes from God and from the people He places in our lives to encourage us. We need to recognize the things that lead to our crashes—lies, deceit, betrayal, lust, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, greed, and any other immorality that God is revealing to us. Once these burdens are removed, we can find healing and let go of past hurts. Remember, just like the patient removed from the car, they are the priority. Healing is the priority.
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:16
“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” Isaiah 61:7
Nothing else matters or is important until we are healed. That means forgiveness. To be forgiven, we must forgive. Unforgiveness is a heavy burden that prevents our restoration and healing. Only when we release these weights can we discover God’s original design and purpose for our lives.
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
This is where prayer becomes vital during the healing process. Prayer is our lifeline to God, a way to communicate our needs, fears, and hopes. Through prayer, we invite God into our healing journey, seeking His guidance and strength. It’s in these quiet moments with Him that we can hear His voice, reminding us of His faithfulness and the promises He has laid out for our lives.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
“But I will restore you to health, and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord.”Jeremiah 30:17
Just as we must wait for the doctor’s approval before getting back on the road, we need to be patient in our restoration. Are we strong enough to stand and walk again? Can we be trusted to safely drive our vehicle? God watches to see if we will fall back into old patterns or remain steadfast in our commitment to Him. He gives us tests to see if we are willing to maintain what He gives us and follow the directions He sets for our lives. He wants to know that we aren’t just going to cash the insurance check and buy another car with the same problems and head down the same road. He wants to insure when we get our restoration we are going to treasure it and use it according to His plan and purpose. Which cannot happen until HE determines we are healed and ready. This goes back to my last blog Waiting, He is preparing us for restoration and what He has.
God is faithful to restore us, guiding us back to the original design He intended for our lives. This is where we get our car back. It’s the same car, but brand new. Zero miles on it and a full tank of gas. No scratches no dents, no weird smell, or strange sounds coming from under the hood. It’s an opportunity to move forward in life according to what he originally designed. This time He has the GPS set for us. It’s leading us to where we were supposed to go before we took a short cut that lead us to a crash. How exactly He accomplishes this depends on what he reveals to you in your healing.
“He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”Psalm 23:3
“You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.” Psalm 71:20
Crashes often happen when we stray from God’s design, much like a car that has too many miles or excessive damage. When we live outside of His will, we sustain damage, leading to financial problems, sickness, broken relationships, and a cycle of struggle. This occurs when we prioritize our desires over God’s plan, leading to calamity that forces us to become dependent on Him.
Additionally, wrecks happen when we deviate from the path he established for us. His direction may tell us to go one way but we choose to go another. Perhaps, the crash, is preventing us from getting to a destination we never were supposed to be. Our GPS was telling us we were off route, but no matter how many times it said “recalculating” we chose to keep going on our own path. The wreck actually saved our life. It’s a hard stop and intervention into the destructive cycle we are living in. It’s God saying we drifted to far away from what He intended. It’s an opportunity to reset and try again.
“I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.” Ezekiel 34:16
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10
Restoration is a gift. It’s a new beginning. It’s not returning to the same thing to do things the same way. It’s an opportunity to continue towards the plan and path He originally brought us to. To obey the things He leads us to.
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Mark 9:23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
Luke 1:37 “For no word of God will ever fail.”
Comments
Post a Comment