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God's Words For US
by Cecelia Lester
“He restores my soul” Psalm 23:3a
I read Psalm 23 recently and found myself focusing on this phrase. King David penned these as a testimony to the greatness of God.
My husband and I live in what is called an economically depressed town. Two divisions of an automobile corporation closed down in the early part of this 21Century. These two divisions were mainstays of our city’s economy. As we drive through town we see houses empty due to foreclosure, and vacant business buildings. A lot of these businesses are closed because their clientele has had to relocate to find work or they have had to be very careful with their smaller income.
Our son had to relocate to an area 600 miles from where we live in order to have a job. The good news is he found work. A friend’s son works in an adjacent state through the week and is home on the weekends.
Less than a week ago, a neighborhood business had to close its doors because the owner couldn’t compete with people who began doing the same work from their garages. The business had existed for 30 years. The owner had done that work for almost 53 years. The owner, a devout Christian man, said he didn’t want to do it but decided it was time. The local newspaper had a front page story about this business closure. The owner, a friend of ours, called the decision,” . . . bittersweet, sometimes it feels like losing a loved one. It’s the only thing I knew.”
How does God figure into this scene? He is there right beside those who have had to close businesses and lose homes. He stands with those who lose their jobs because of these actions. God takes our hurt feelings and restores us, rebuilds our self-esteem, and gives us new ways to look at our lives.
I left my last job; it was a mutual decision. My health made it harder for me to meet the expectations of the senior staff. I was ashamed that I had to accept the information that they were disappointed with my work. I couldn’t shake the idea that I had not performed up to their standard.
But God gave me some opportunities that I couldn’t have accepted if I had been working.
He has allowed me to have more time to write. He has allowed me to be a part of the drama ministry at our church; He has also blessed me with new and deeper friendships with people I only casually knew before. Just recently, I realized I had some stories to use as examples when someone has an issue or is hurting or searching for an answer for a question.
Our confidence sometimes takes a beating from the world but God restores our souls to new roles as we trust Him and learn of Him as we persevere through the ebb and flow of life.
Dear Lord God:
This week of Thanksgiving, I praise You for restoring our souls. When we allow You to minster to us, we see things in a new light. You show us what is best for us. Because You have our interests foremost in Your heart. We give You praise for all things. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN
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Cecelia Lester has been serious about her writing for over two decades..
She composes Christian essays and posts them to her blog quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/
She has served in a faith-based organization, Grace In Action by writing two newsletters and searching for possible grants.
In July 2017, she published her first book, 'Times of Trouble Bring Rays of Joy.'
She and her husband of 54 years live in central Indiana. They have one grown son.
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