July 6, 2025
God’s Promise to Restore
1 Peter 5:8-10
God is a God of restoration.
He holds all our pain and has set a plan in motion a plan to restore everything that is broken.
Where does suffering come from?
We weren’t designed to suffer. Suffering is a result of sin, and sin brought destruction.
What is broken?
Our souls
Our bodies
Our relationships
Creation (Romans 8:20-22)
Even the planet doesn’t work like it’s supposed to!
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” –Genesis 3:15
Protoevangelion, the first Gospel
Does God see my suffering?
There is no tear that has fallen from your eye and no tear in your heart that isn’t held, named, and known in the hand of God. No quiet heartbreak can escape the long arm of His restoration. (Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 43:2-3, 2 Kings 20:5, Psalm 56:8)
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” –Psalm 34:18
“I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you.” –2 Kings 20:5
“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” –Psalm 56:8
What causes suffering?
The devil (1 Peter 5:8-10)
You and me (James 1:14)
The broken world (Romans 8:22)
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” –James 1:14
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” –Romans 8:22
“The human mind is capable of plenty of mischief without any help from the devil.” –A.W. Tozer
Why do bad things happen to good people?
“Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” –C.S. Lewis
God’s Promise to Restore
1 Peter 5:10, Isaiah 43:2, Joel 2:25, Psalm 40:2, Isaiah 40:31, Revelation 21:3-4
“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.” –Joel 2:25
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’” –Revelation 21:3-4
Jesus, our wounded healer
Your suffering can become someone else’s healing. Your story might be the lifeline someone else needs. (2 Corinthians 1:4, 1 Peter 5:9)
“who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” –2 Corinthians 1:4
We can leave here in one of three ways:
Bitter brokenness
Sad acceptance
Worshipful waiting
