Out of Wastelands
“The Lord says, ‘I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts.'”
Joel 2:25 (NLT)
This week I’m celebrating my birthday! I have been thinking lately of how God makes everything beautiful in its time, and as I celebrate my big day, it’s even more evident to me.
When I take inventory of my spiritual growth from the day back in 1964 when I opened up my heart to Jesus, I can see long stretches that were spiritual wastelands. There were months and sometimes years when I wasn’t growing. At those times, I didn’t care much at all about praying or reading the Bible. And memorizing verses? No, it was more fun back then to memorize all the words to the songs on the radio.
Even after I got my spiritual act together a few years after my accident, I wasted time. For almost a year, I let die a habit of prayer. For ages, it seemed, I ignored my Bible. And there was that summer I just simply chose not to go to church.
Of course, there were plenty of years where I grew spiritually by leaps and bounds, memorizing lots of Scripture, opening new depths of theological understanding, and experiencing sweet intimacy in prayer… but in the years I’ve known Christ, I see a lot of empty deserts.
I grieve those periods of wasted time, but I keep my grief short with God’s gracious reminder from Joel 2:25. God will restore the years eaten by the locusts. How can we have assurance of that? The answer comes earlier in that chapter, where it says:
“That is why the Lord says,
‘Turn to me now, while there is time.
Give me your hearts.
Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
but tear your hearts instead.’
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He is eager to relent and not punish.”
Joel 2:11-12 (NLT)
Through repentance, we can have confidence that our spiritual losses shall be repaired. God will make good on the damage we have done. He will restore the many months we neglected our sanctification. So don’t sit in disappointment too long. Instead, ask the Lord to restore those dry times.
Lord, I can get so disheartened when I consider all the time I have wasted, choosing emptiness rather than pursuing a closer walk with you. Thank you for the forgiveness you offer me. Please restore each of my lost years, redeeming the time. As you do, I will praise your holy name!
Celebrate Joni’s Birthday!
Joni Eareckson Tada is turning 74! Every donation will bring Joni joy on her birthday and help fulfill the Joni and Friends vision of creating a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ.
