I received a phone call today from a friend that is about as close to my heart as there is. I’m a “mile wide and inch deep” when it comes to friendships. What I mean is I tend to let very few get real close. VERY few. This friend, however, is one of those people. Over the years, I have watched him go through hell. I’ve been on the other end of the phone as he told me story after story that left me with no words to say. There were no phrases or words of encouragement that didn’t sound so simple compared to what he was facing. He has walked through the fire over and over again.

There were some highlights in his rough road. Almost like a water stop on a long run. Just enough to sustain him for the continued struggles ahead. One of those highlights was the day he remarried. At his reception, I spoke of his Job-like struggles and how God restored everything. It was tough to really see that then. While it was a beautiful day, it was a cup of water on a long journey into the unknown. So why share this? Why the wet blanket post?

Because God is still in the restoration business.

I don’t know if you needed to hear that today, but I sure did. I’ll be honest and admit that there are times when I wonder if the God of this universe has taken some time off. Bad news is everywhere. I see struggles. I hear struggles. I struggle. Yet God is still on His throne. God is still in the business of restoring the broken places. Just ask my friend….

Today he called to share the journey he’s been on for the past year. Unbelievable. I again struggled for words, but this time it was due to the remarkable, intricate details involved in his complete restoration. There has to be a far greater power involved. There has to be someone with a much larger portrait He’s painting. These things don’t just happen. There are no coincidences here. This is a man that walked through the fire and emerged restored. The details are not important here (they sure are to him though), the message is….

God is still in the restoration business.

If you’re in the fire, keep moving forward. Keep crying out. Keep surrendering. Keep being honest to a God that is still very much on His throne. May your prayers be heard, your trials be short lived. Thank you God. Thank you for the struggles. Thank you for restoration.

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