“Time flies and it does not return. Years pass and we never get them back. It’s the one thing that can never be restored,” wrote Pastor Colin Smith in a recent post at The Gospel Coalition. “Yet, God promises the impossible: ‘I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten’ (Joel 2:25)."
So many feel that much of their lives have been wasted. Is there hope that a promise originally made to the people of Israel can be applied to us today? Yes, says Pastor Smith. Our fruitless, painful, selfish, loveless, rebellious, mis-directed, and Christ-less years can be restored in three ways:
1. Christ can restore lost years by deepening your fellowship with him.
2. Christ can give you remaining years in which more lasting fruit will be born than in all of
your years of small harvests.
3. Christ can restore lost years by bringing long-term gain from short-term loss.
In all of these ways, Christ receives glory for raising up redeemed people. Related to the idea of restoring lost years, other ministry leaders also offer sound words of encouragement:
Steve Arterburn in "New Life Daily Devotion:"
As you continue to seek God’s purpose for your life, you will undoubtedly experience your fair share of disappointments, detours, false starts, and failures. When you do, don’t become discouraged: God’s not finished with you yet.
Michael Lawrence, in a short video clip from Christianity.com, answers the question:
"How are failures in my life, especially if I've done something horrible, still a part of God's will?"
Read Pastor Smith's entire post here and add to the discussion. Have you seen Christ restore your “locust years,” or have you prayed that He will? Share your experience in the comments section below.
Alex Crain is the editor for Christianity.com