‘This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. ‘ 1 John 1:5-9(NLT)
‘Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. ‘ Galatians 6:1-2(NLT)
While God is the source and model of restoration, He invites us to participate in his restorative plans for humanity. He gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can have the power and tools to actively seek restoration in our daily lives and in your marriage.
Even if we believe this truth, it’s easy to forget it. Maybe you’ve experienced the same kind of tension Paul writes about in Romans 7. “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate”(7:15). We love God, and we want to serve Him, but we often continue to sin, ignoring His Spirit and His guidance.
Luckily, the all-knowing God knew this would be the case, and He established practices that help us continually set our minds on God’s Spirit and enable us to see more clearly how we can participate in His plans or restoration.
Through prayer, our hearts are aligned to God’s and we begin to share His vision for the world. In confession, we see our own shortcomings and transgressions more clearly, giving us a greater appreciation for His love towards us and empowering us to practice that same kind of love and forgiveness to others. Through community, God uses our brothers and sisters in Christ to bear each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).
While you work through this difficult time in your life, recognize that you are not alone and that you are not helpless. God listens and cares. He wants to hear your prayers, forgive your sins, and use other people in your community to help you through your hardship. Even more, He wants to invite you to participate in His work of restoration.
As you read today’s passages, look for how these people practiced prayer, confession of sin, and living in community to better understand God’s restorative work in their lives.
from God Can Restore All Things (Even Your Marriage)