“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” – Psalm 23:1-4 NASB

God is the restorer of your soul. He is also the restorer of your mind and your body. He wants to restore your entire being. In this verse, the original Hebrew word translated as “restore” is shuwb, which means to turn back or to put back in a previous position. God wants to put your body, soul and spirit back to a previous and better position. He knows the effect this life can have on us. He wants to “reset” us back to a better place.

God restores your body. David says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” When you listen carefully to God’s leading there will be moments when you will hear him telling you to be still. To take a break. To rest. When we heed his voice in this area, we will find our strength being renewed. Isaiah 40:30-31 says, “Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Waiting on the Lord brings rest; and with it, restoration.

God restores your soul – mind, will and emotions. David says, “He leads me beside quiet waters.” Tranquility and serene surroundings minister to our mind and emotions. We are better able to line up our will with the will of God when we have a peaceful mind and our emotions are stable. God wants to lead you beside quiet waters to reset the cadence of your soul and bring you back into the unforced rhythms of grace (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG). Whenever you find yourself spinning with emotion or reeling with compulsive or driving thoughts, find a tranquil place and set your soul on God.

God restores your spirit. The spirit is most at rest when we can keep in step with God’s will for our lives and when we glorify him. In his mercy, he will lead us in this endeavor. David says, “He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” When you trust God to guide you in the process of pursuing righteousness, your spirit will be renewed. When you come to believe that he wants to guide you in this process – when you realize you don’t have to do it all on your own – your spirit will be restored. We have a good God who wants to restore us – body, soul and spirit.