The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He restores my soul… —Psalm 23:1-2 (NLT), 3 (NASB)

What damages my soul?

1. Unaddressed grudges

To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do. —Job 5:2 (GNT)

You are only hurting yourself with your anger. —Job 18:4 (GNT)

2. Unconfessed guilt

My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. —Psalm 38:4-5 (NLT)

The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves. —Proverbs 20:27 (GNT)

3. Unprocessed grief

My eyes are weak from so much crying, and my whole being is tired from grief. —Psalm 31:9 (NCV)

How Jesus Restores My Soul

1. He turns my hurts into holiness.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. —Romans 8:28 (NLT)

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.

—Romans 8:29 (MSG)

2. He takes my sins on himself.

But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received. All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going his own way. But the Lord made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us deserved. —Isaiah 53:5-6 (GNT)

3. He feels my grief and heals my heart.

He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. —Isaiah 53:3-4 (NLT)

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. —Psalm 147:3 (NLT)

Discussion Questions

1. What are some of the unintended consequences of not letting Jesus restore your soul?

2. What are some things that’s happened in your life that has been a source of bitterness and resentment in you? How did Jesus help you forgive and move past them?

3. Why is it so hard to believe that Jesus completely forgives and there’s no need to feel guilty once you’ve confessed your sin?

4. How did God speak to you in this message?