When All Seems Lost
2 Chronicles 36:23 The people of Judah were taken into captivity by Babylon, and their nation destroyed, but God restored them. Just as He restored Judah, He restores us.
6/29/20261 min read
Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the Lord his God be with him and let him go up! 2 Chronicles 36:23 (NKJV)
After Josiah, Judah had four evil kings, which led to the downfall of Judah and their captivity in Babylon. God had sent warnings to them by His messengers, but they ignored Him and continued to sin against Him, so God used King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to kill everyone in the land and take the remnant of survivors to serve him in Babylon. But God had a promise that He made to David and the world, so He sent the remnant back to Judah after seventy years in captivity by the hand of Cyrus, king of Persia who conquered the Babylon empire the year before.
Like Judah, we can find ourselves in captivity by our sins and addictions, and everything may seem lost, but that is when God restores us. In Luke 4:18, Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,” referring to restoration that He provides. We may feel lost because we are living in our cars due to a gambling or chemical addiction, or maybe our secret sins may be destroying our relationships, but when we give it all to Jesus and let Him lead our lives, all is restored, we find new life, peace, joy, and a deeper relationship with God.
Ask Jesus to take all your hurts, habits and hangups, choosing to give Him control of every aspect of your life. Pray daily and meditate on His word allowing God to guide your decisions, trusting that His purpose prevails over personal ambitions, casting all anxieties on Him, and knowing that He cares for you. Join a faith-based recovery group, providing spiritual and community support to help you overcome addiction, emotional struggles, and life-controlling behaviors through programs rooted in Jesus. When you feel all is lost, give it to Jesus and He will help you find new life.