Our writer spoke of something, that many of us could never quite grasp. I don’t really know how it may have occurred, but somehow, we managed to get away from the subject of God’s correction. I don’t always relish getting older, but there are some advantages to it, even so. In earlier times, we all were taught, that we as children of God, were going to sometimes, be chastened. If we truly loved Him, and were His children, there were times when He would correct us. He said, “those He loved.”

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that “the bones which thou hast broken, may rejoice.” Many of us have not understood, just what the purpose of the things we’ve gone through, were for. We have slowly begun to see it, these past weeks, months and even years. A plan. I don’t think I will ever totally get it, that God truly trusted us so much, that He allowed us to go through some of the tough places we have trod. For example, God already knew that Job, would come through it all, in the end. He allowed Satan to bring the most awful things upon this man. Why would He do that.

I’ve worked hard enough, to fully realize, that many of us brought some bad things upon ourselves. Often times, a good part of our failures, were of our own making. The fact that many did not even try to help us, or even come to check on us, is another story. You know, I never thought I’d get this far. I can’t tell you, the times I just completely gave up; I was done, over with and washed up. I had a neighbor say something to me a couple days ago, that stuck with me. He said, what you are inside today, was always in you; it’s who you are. I find myself returning, to who I always wanted to be.

Some of us, once had a right spirit. David did, or he would not have been talking about needing it renewed. I always remember what he said, that “my sin is ever before me.” We are forgiven, and that’s a miracle; but, of course that is determined by whether we also have forgiven others. Perhaps, this is another truth, that many of us have shied away from. Yet even forgiven, it does not always stop the consequences of what we did. What others did to us early on, can warp and twist; and we can live our entire lifetime with it.

I feel quite sure, that many of us never dreamed, that one day, we would have a bad spirit. Our hurt, our sadness and feelings of real betrayal, and letting loose of the One who said He would never forsake us, caused us to develop a rotten attitude. And that can last for a long time; we can hurt others badly. Tragedy and loss of loved ones, can change us; our entire approach to things can be so opposite, of who we always were. Or thought we were. Our deceitful heart; that’s another thing we don’t like to talk about. If we do not ask the Spirit to show us, we don’t know what’s in our heart.

The writer lost the joy of the Lord and His salvation, somewhere along the way. Otherwise, he would not have needed it restored. He asked for a clean heart. No matter where you’ve been, or what low place you might have visited, there is a remedy for all of it. I can witness, that if you approach Him with a broken spirit, and a broken and contrite heart, He will not, turn you away. It did not matter where I had been, no matter how much trouble I got into, when I turned to Him in such a manner, He touched me. It’s not an excuse to sin.

You only learn that, when you’ve been there. I want the right spirit, I once knew. Renew it and restore it, I humbly ask.

~ Robert Blackburn

Robert Blackburn