You Will Be Rebuilt

When hardships come your way, you may feel as if though God has taken his wrecking ball, swung it at you, and shattered your life. But the Lord gives us the promise that with his love, we will be rebuilt!

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Hi, this is Joni Eareckson Tada. Thanks for joining me on "Joni and Friends.”

You know, there are so many lessons, so many things from God's Word that I have learned from these years of paralysis; so many scriptures that became solid anchor for my soul. And I love sharing these things with you, really I do, because if I can help lift your spirits, focus your heart, or point you to a Bible passage that God used to change me (sitting in this wheelchair), well … then these few minutes together are more than worth it!

I'm thinking of one particular verse that I run to even now, after so many years. Back when doctors first told me I would never walk again or have use of my hands, I was devastated. I felt like He took this wrecking ball, swung it and shattered my entire life: everything was in shambles. I had no idea where to begin, or how to begin rebuilding my life. 

But about six months into my hospital stay, a friend showed me an assuring little verse in Jeremiah 31:4. God says there, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt!” Wow!

Now, although it’s true God is talking about rebuilding His people after foreigners came in and ruined the land; it’s still a promise that is so relevant today … and what a promise! With tender compassion, God promised to build me up again. And as if to underscore his intention, he says "you will be rebuilt!" If God undertakes to put a people, or put a shattered life back together again, it shall be so! It shall be built no matter what the opposition. It’s a fact; it’s a promise straight from God, and the neat thing is He’ll do it all with everlasting love and loving kindness.

So back then, every time I felt my spirits wilt, whenever depression began to creep in, I remembered Jeremiah 31. And because I hated being depressed, believe me, I made it my goal to partner with God, to agree with Him, to work with His spirit and yield to His plan, because I wanted my life to be rebuilt, too. 

And so I prayed, “Lord Jesus, show me how I can fit into your plan. We’re talking major reconstruction here with this paralysis, so show me how I can get in line and help make peace and contentment and joy I my life happen.” And whenever I got that, “Oh, it’s just not going to happen; I'll never be happy, never be content again,” then I will hear Him say, “Joni, you will be rebuilt!” and then it was shape-up, get my heart in alignment with God, get my soul standing at attention. 

And now, so many years later I’ve got His joy; I’ve got His happiness, I’ve got His contentment; I have a heavenly vision; a clear purpose for living … I may still be in this wheelchair, paralyzed, but I'm being rebuilt, and what’s standing looks a whole lot better than what was before!

I hope this verse from Jeremiah speaks to you today because maybe you are wanting to agree with God, maybe you are wanting to partner with His Spirit in the rebuilding process. Or perhaps you are struggling with knowing God could have prevented that hardship, could have prevented that accident, but chose not to. 

I would love to hear from you on this topic, your experiences, and so after we’re done here, go over to my radio page at joniandfriends.org and just share your heart, share your prayer needs, or let me know where you are in the journey. Again, that’s joniandfriends.org. And one final thing, friend, if your life is in pieces right now, take heart, take courage from that wonderful little (no, very big) promise from Jeremiah 31.

© Joni and Friends

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