Psalm 23:3 “he restores my soul.”
[You, Lord Jesus, are the Shepherd of my whole being: spirit, soul and body. I praise you that, in believing in you, I was born again and you made my spirit come alive. Praise you that in living with you, my soul is being restored–moving me towards the pre-fall condition Adam and Eve enjoyed.
This is a partnership process, with each of us playing a part. You transform my soul (my thinking, my will and my emotions) as I lie down in your pasture, drink from your still waters, as I take in of your Word, bask in the beauty of your being, and live in the light, the love of your presence.
The rich discipline of memorizing your Word and praying through it while personalizing it, brings more transformation in each area. You teach me to think your thoughts, to desire your will, to lead my emotions. You are transforming what I understand, decide and feel.
In addition, worshiping you through praise brings additional change, much of it on an emotional level, as seen in a solidification of strength in my soul.
Praise brings a multitude of shifts:
–A greater grasp of your love, a deeper understanding of the security of belonging to you.
–A detachment from the thoughts and opinions of others, as I learn to fear you instead of people.
–A growing desire to please you, a deepening certainty of your goodness to do what is best, a deepening of faith.
Praise leads to:
–the response of giving thanks instead of complaining,
–of positive words and actions in in the place of critical negative statements.
–a deepened patience flowing from grasping that you control the timing of what is going on around me.
You, Lord Jesus, are the source of life, of healing, of transformation, of hope and joy. I praise you for your great and deep love which keeps you working with us, your stubborn sheep, who wound you afresh every day with our willful, selfish, sinful choices.
Forgive me, Lord Jesus, for hurting you so. Forgive me for my rebellion and unbelief. Forgive me for not walking consistently with you through the day, not praying during conversations, not denying self when necessary, not rejecting fear of man, not immediately fleeing from lustful thoughts, not being diligent in what you have given me to do.
Help me today, Lord, to walk in close communion with you, to obey the clear commands of your Word, and to follow the promptings of your Spirit, so that I may not grieve your heart, so that my soul might be further restored and that you may receive more and more honor and glory.
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