Don’t Just Survive … Restore from Paul Tripp Ministries
I once wandered into a home that was in the process of being restored. I guess you would call it a fixer-upper, although there was so much to fix up, I wasn’t sure if it was worth the effort.
If it was up to me, I probably would’ve hired a wrecking ball and leveled the place. Or at least made quicker work with a crowbar. But not the guy that just bought the property.
He was delicately restoring the inside from top to bottom, using small chisels, hammers and brushes. It would require a lot of patience, but in the end, the work of restoration would be beautiful.
The resident saw what the house used to be, and he saw what it could become, and it changed the way he treated his environment.
Isn’t that the Christian life?
The home we temporarily live in is a mess. Everything has been damaged and dirtied by sin. Not one part looks like it used to when it was first designed.
On a global scale, we see injustice or corruption or war. On a personal level, we experience brokenness every day in our conflicted relationships, our aching bodies, and life just not working the right way.
It’s good to groan with frustration (Romans 8:22), and it’s right to look forward to the new home that’s coming (Revelation 21). We should always be honest about the pain we’re experiencing, and we should always be living in light of our eternal hope.
But we’re called to do a third thing: RESTORE.
You see, God is not satisfied with the state of this home, and he calls us to share in his holy dissatisfaction. He wants us to face how bad things really are, not as survivalists, but as restorers.
In our families, in our communities, in our churches, and in our workplaces, let’s be committed to restoring what sin has broken. Let’s allow God to use us as tools in his hands.
Whether that’s working on your marriage, investing in your parenting, loving a neighbor who is far from the Lord, participating in community projects, or doing the righteous thing at work when it’s hard, there’s plenty of restorative work left to be done.
Yes, you’ll be tempted to quit in discouragement. Yes, sin will incline your heart to make self-centered decisions that ignore the goal of restoration.
But God’s grace is bigger. And it’s better. And it’s freely available at all times.
Don’t wait until heaven for new beginnings and fresh starts. Ask the Lord to show you what you can help restore today!
God bless,
Paul Tripp
Reflection Questions
- How did you experience brokenness this week? Think of a personal example, and a community / global example.
- What needs to be restored in your personal life? (Think sin struggles, family relationships, etc.)
- What obstacles in your heart will interfere with or challenge God’s call to restore those things? Be specific.
- What needs to be restored in your community? (Think neighbors, social issues, etc.)
- What obstacles in your heart will interfere with or challenge God’s call to restore those things? Be specific.