I Will Restore the Years the Locusts Have Eaten

In Joel 2:25, God was speaking to a people who had experienced tremendous devastation. He was calling them to return to Him and promising restoration after a season of loss. Their circumstances had been devastating, but their devastation would not have the final word.

Imagine working an entire year, planting the seed, tending the land, and looking forward to the harvest, only to watch it all disappear before your eyes. Everything you had worked for was gone in what seemed like the blink of an eye.

That was the reality for the people in Joel's day. The locusts had devastated their land, leaving them without the crops and provisions they depended on.

But there was more to this than the loss of a harvest. Joel used this crisis to call God's people to repentance and to return to the Lord with their whole hearts. He also warned them of the coming Day of the Lord, a time of divine judgment.

I think it's important to understand this context because Joel 2:25 isn't an isolated promise that every loss we experience will automatically be repaid. God's promise of restoration came within a message calling His people back to Him and reminding them of His mercy.

That doesn't mean every hardship we face is punishment for sin. We live in a fallen world, and painful things happen for many reasons. But we can take comfort in knowing that God is merciful, faithful, and present even when life doesn't unfold the way we hoped it would.

For the people in Joel's day, restoration meant more than getting their crops back. God promised to provide for them, remove their shame, and remind them that He was among them.

I tell you all of that to say this: God's restoration is not only about what we receive; it is also about knowing Him more deeply through the process.

What really stands out to me about Joel 2:25 is that God speaks of restoring the years the locusts had eaten. The devastation had consequences that reached far beyond a single growing season. The people had lost food, income, and the fruit of their labor. It would take time for the land to recover.

Yet God promised that those years of devastation would not define their future.

And that is where this verse speaks to my heart today.

How many of us have looked back over our lives and wished we could get certain years back? Maybe there were years spent in painful circumstances, years filled with fear or regret, or years when we felt stuck and couldn't see a way forward. Maybe we spent years waiting for prayers to be answered, or circumstances took opportunities we thought we would always have.

We can't go back and change the past. We can't reclaim every opportunity or undo every painful experience. But we can trust God with the years behind us and the ones still ahead of us.

He can bring healing where there has been hurt. He can give us a new direction when we feel lost. He can open doors we never expected and bring purpose out of experiences we would never have chosen for ourselves.

Sometimes restoration doesn't look like getting back what we lost. Sometimes it looks like becoming stronger in our faith, learning to trust God in a deeper way, or discovering that He was with us even when we couldn't see what He was doing.

And sometimes, restoration means realizing that the difficult years were not the end of our story.

I want to be careful not to suggest that God has promised to give us back every lost year in a literal or material way. That isn't what this passage guarantees. But I believe we can hold on to the truth revealed in this Scripture: our losses do not limit God's ability to work in our lives, and our past does not place Him beyond reach.

When I think about God's faithfulness, I'm reminded that He sees the whole picture when all we can see is the part we're living through right now. We may not understand why certain things happened or why some seasons lasted as long as they did. We may never have answers to every question.

But we can choose to trust the One who holds our future.

Maybe you are in a season right now when you feel as though the locusts have eaten away at your years. Perhaps you're looking at something you lost and wondering how anything good could possibly come from it.

I want to encourage you not to measure God's faithfulness by what you've lost. Instead, look to who He is.

The same God who called His people back to Him in Joel's day is still worthy of our trust. His mercy has not changed. His faithfulness has not changed. And even when restoration looks different from what we imagined, we can continue to seek Him and trust Him with what comes next.

We cannot rewrite yesterday, but we can give God our tomorrow.

Our past may be part of our story, but it does not have to determine how our story ends.

Worship Music, Our Influences, and the Heart Behind Our Worship

Worship Music, Our Influences, and the Heart Behind Our Worship

Allow me to begin by sharing that this post was inspired by an article I recently read. While I believe the article contained some truth, I also felt it presented the subject from a one-sided perspective. Its overall message seemed to be a criticism of several well-known ministries and the influence they have on today's churches.

Many people have their own opinions about these churches, their teachings, and the ways they draw people into their ministries, beginning with the worship music they produce. I understand that people have different perspectives on this subject, but I also have a unique perspective because I've experienced both sides myself.

Before I go any further, I think it's important to recognize how much our culture influences the things we listen to, the people we follow, and the ministries we trust. We live in a world where people are encouraged to follow trends, personalities, and popular opinions rather than take the time to research things for themselves and seek out what is true. We can easily adopt someone else's beliefs without ever taking the time to examine them in light of God's Word.

And when everyone has their own version of what they believe to be true, it adds another layer to the discussion about worship music and the influence it has on our congregations.

Different Church Experiences

I grew up in a church where the Bible was taught line upon line. The music we sang came from hymnals, and the teaching we received was rooted in the Scriptures. There were few outside influences encouraging us to look beyond the church doors for additional teaching or spiritual guidance.

As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate the wisdom in having that kind of foundation. I learned the importance of knowing God's Word, understanding what it says, and building my faith upon it. Looking back, I recognize how much that early foundation has shaped the person I am today and the way I approach my relationship with God.

Then there are these other sides of my experience: the Pentecostal church/non-denominational church/Assemblies of God church. 

These are sides of Christianity that some people question. Some believe that certain Charismatic practices fall outside the way church was intended to function, while others question whether those practices are truly guided by the Holy Spirit.

I understand that people have different convictions about these things. But I can only speak from my own experience, and I know what God has done in my life.

There have been moments when God has touched my heart so deeply that I couldn't begin to put the experience into words. There is a depth to those personal encounters with God that can be difficult to explain to someone who has never experienced anything similar. I can share my testimony, but I cannot fully convey what those moments have meant to me.

Those experiences have been real and meaningful in my walk with the Lord, and they have strengthened my faith in ways I cannot deny.

I don't believe we have to tear down one another's churches or question every experience that differs from our own in order to stand firm in what we believe. We can hold to our convictions while still showing respect to others.

For me, the central truth remains this: Jesus is Lord, and He is the way to the Father. Beyond that foundational belief, Christians and churches may differ in their understanding of certain teachings and practices. Those differences deserve thoughtful consideration, prayer, and a willingness to search the Scriptures rather than an automatic response of condemnation.

Appreciating the Foundation While Continuing to Grow

Let me give you a personal example.

I still have a deep respect for the church I grew up in. I value what I learned there, and I am grateful for the biblical foundation that was laid in my life. That foundation became the starting point upon which I have continued to build my faith.

The church I attend today has different beliefs and practices. We believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, and we sing contemporary worship songs rather than relying solely on traditional hymns.

Yet I am still being fed the Word of God. I am still learning, growing, and developing in my walk with the Lord.

The deeper beliefs I have embraced through my current church have not erased the foundation laid in me during my childhood. Rather, they have become part of my continued spiritual journey.

I can appreciate where I came from while continuing to grow in my understanding of God. One experience does not have to invalidate another, and differences in worship styles do not automatically mean that one group is sincerely seeking God while the other is not.

So why am I sharing all this background before getting to the subject I really want to discuss?

Because I believe it's important to understand where someone is coming from when they share their thoughts on a subject. My experiences have shaped my perspective, just as other people's experiences have shaped theirs.

And that brings me to worship music.

The Influence of Worship Music

I have always been a huge music lover. Music speaks to me in ways that few other things can. It can move me emotionally, reach places in my heart that words alone cannot, and bring things to the surface that I may not even realize I'm carrying.

Throughout my life, God has used music to speak to me. There have been times when a song has brought comfort, encouragement, conviction, or a reminder of His truth at precisely the moment I needed it.

That is one of the reasons the article I recently read troubled me. It criticized certain churches and worship music associated with ministries that God has used to touch my own life, despite the concerns and reputations surrounding those ministries.

I want to be clear about something: I don't believe we should ignore questionable teachings, excuse wrongdoing, or blindly follow a ministry simply because its music moves us. We are called to exercise discernment, and God's Word must remain our standard for determining what is true.

But I also believe we need to be careful not to assume that everything associated with a particular ministry is without value simply because that ministry has problems or because we disagree with some of its teachings.

I believe God can work in ways we don't always understand. When someone is genuinely seeking Him, He can use unexpected people, circumstances, and even a song from a ministry that has its own shortcomings to draw that person closer to Him.

God's ability to work through something does not mean He approves of everything associated with it. It means that His ability to reach a heart is not limited by human imperfections.

When God Uses the Unexpected

Let me share an example that has stayed with me over the years.

There was a Christian music artist whose song "In Christ Alone" touched my heart and life deeply. It affected me in ways I still find difficult to put into words. That song reached me at a time when its message made a profound difference in my life.

Later, I learned that the artist had been involved in adultery. His marriage ended, and, as I understood it, people and organizations that had once supported him distanced themselves from him.

Learning that was disappointing. Sin has consequences, and I don't believe we should minimize the hurt or damage that wrongdoing can cause.

But something about that situation stayed with me.

The song had already touched my heart. The truth it pointed me toward had already made an impact on my relationship with God. Learning about the artist's personal failures did not erase what that song had meant to me.

The artist was imperfect. I am imperfect. We all are.

And yet God can use imperfect people to communicate a truth that reaches someone else's heart.

That does not excuse the artist's actions, nor does it mean we should overlook accountability. It simply reminds me that the truth of God's Word does not become untrue because the person sharing it has failed to live up to it.

We see throughout Scripture that God has worked through people who were far from perfect. Their failures did not make God any less faithful, and their shortcomings did not place limits on His ability to accomplish His purposes.

Sometimes God uses people in ways we may never fully understand. We don't have to excuse their mistakes, nor do we have to tear down everything good that may have come through them.

We can acknowledge the shortcomings of people while still recognizing the work God has done in our own lives.

Does the Source of a Worship Song Matter?

I understand the argument that when a church sings a contemporary worship song and identifies its copyright or publishing information, people may discover the ministry or church associated with that song. From there, they may begin following that ministry, listening to its teaching, and embracing its beliefs.

That is a legitimate concern, particularly in a culture where people often follow an artist or ministry without examining what it teaches.

I believe churches should be thoughtful about the songs they introduce to their congregations. Worship leaders have a responsibility to consider not only the musical quality of a song but also its lyrics, its theology, and the message it communicates.

We should not simply assume that a song is biblically sound because it is popular or emotionally moving.

But here is where I believe we need to be careful.

Just because a church sings a particular worship song does not automatically mean that it endorses everything about the church, artist, or ministry from which that song originated.

A song can communicate a biblical truth even when the person who wrote it has failed personally or the ministry associated with it holds beliefs with which we disagree.

Should we examine the words we sing? Absolutely.

Should we be discerning about the influences we allow into our lives and churches? Without question.

But should we automatically dismiss a song that speaks biblical truth simply because of where it originated? I don't believe we should.

I have never automatically assumed that singing a song means I am endorsing every belief of the person who wrote it or the ministry that produced it. I listen to the message of the song and consider what it says about God.

I realize, however, that not everyone approaches worship music that way. In a culture where music and personalities can lead people toward particular ministries, I understand why some people raise concerns. Those concerns can be discussed without turning the conversation into an attack on entire churches or groups of believers.

We can warn people to be discerning without being unnecessarily divisive.

What Should Matter Most When We Worship?

When I sing a worship song, there are questions I believe are far more important than whether the song came from a church or ministry with which I personally agree on every issue.

Does the song draw my heart toward God?

Does it communicate truth that aligns with His Word?

Does it glorify Jesus?

Does it remind me of who God is, what He has done, and what He has promised?

These are the things I consider when I worship.

Music is powerful, and that power should never replace the importance of knowing God's Word for ourselves. An emotional response alone is not proof that something is true, and a beautiful melody cannot make an unbiblical message biblical.

But when a song communicates the truth of Scripture and directs our hearts toward the Lord, I believe we should be willing to receive that truth with gratitude.

The Bible reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to test everything and hold on to what is good. I believe that principle is important here. We should examine what we hear, hold it up against God's Word, and exercise discernment. At the same time, we should be careful not to reject something good simply because it came from an imperfect source.

Our worship should ultimately be about God, not about the popularity of an artist, the reputation of a church, or the style of music being played.

A Final Thought

At the end of the day, I believe we can stand firm in our faith without tearing down other believers. We can recognize that some ministries have legitimate problems without assuming that everything associated with them is without value. We can appreciate the foundation of our faith while continuing to grow in our understanding of God.

And we can be discerning without becoming judgmental.

My own walk with God has been shaped by different church experiences, different styles of worship, and moments when the Lord has used music to reach me in ways that I cannot fully explain. I am grateful for the biblical foundation I received growing up, and I am grateful for the ways I continue to grow in my faith today.

I know that God has used worship music to minister to my heart, and I don't want to become so focused on where a song originated that I overlook the truth God may be using it to remind me of.

That doesn't mean I will accept every song, every teaching, or every ministry without question. It means I will continue to measure what I hear against God's Word and trust Him to give me wisdom and discernment.

God is the One we worship. His Word is the standard by which we discern truth. And the condition of our own hearts matters far more than winning an argument about someone else's church.

I believe we can have these conversations with grace, humility, and a genuine desire to honor the Lord. We don't have to agree on every practice or tradition to treat one another with respect.

And when a song brings our hearts back to the goodness of God, reminds us of the sacrifice of Jesus, or helps us hold on to His promises through a difficult season, I believe we should be thankful for the reminder.

Because ultimately, it isn't about the name of the church on the copyright line or the reputation of the person who wrote the song.

It's about the God the song points us to and whether the message we are singing is true to His Word.

Esteeming Others

(image is from Dollywood's social media page)

Esteeming Others

God has brought this verse to my attention several times this year and it has been making me stop and think about my own heart.

I think most of us would say we don't want to be selfish or prideful. I certainly don't. But if I'm being honest, I can still find myself making life about me without even realizing it.

How am I being treated?
Do they appreciate me?
Do they understand me?
What about what I need?
What about what I want?

And sometimes those questions aren't wrong. We all have needs, boundaries, and things that matter. But this verse reminds me that following Christ means I can't make myself the center of everything.

Paul tells us, “Let each esteem others better than himself.”

That doesn't mean I have to believe that I'm less valuable than everyone else. It doesn't mean I have to ignore my own needs or allow people to mistreat me. I don't believe God calls us to live that way.

To me, it means choosing to look beyond myself.

Choosing to notice someone else's needs.

Choosing to listen instead of always needing to be heard.

Choosing to celebrate someone else's accomplishments without feeling like they take anything away from my own.

Choosing to serve when I could be served.

Choosing to love when it would be easier to walk away.

And maybe most importantly, choosing to remember that my worth doesn't depend on being better than someone else.

I don't have to compete for my value.

I don't have to prove that I'm important.

I don't have to be the smartest person in the room, have the last word, or receive recognition for everything I do.

Because my identity is found in Christ.

And when I truly understand that, it becomes easier to lift someone else up.

Looking to Jesus

What makes this verse even more powerful to me is what Paul says next.

He doesn't simply tell us to be humble. He points us to Jesus.

Philippians 2:5 says:

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus had every reason to be exalted, yet He willingly humbled Himself and became a servant.

The King became a servant.

The One who deserved glory chose sacrifice.

And He did it for us.

That puts my own little moments of pride into perspective.

If Jesus could humble Himself for the sake of others, how can I refuse to humble myself when God gives me the opportunity to love, serve, encourage, or put someone else first?

I know I won't get this right every time. I am still learning. God is still working on my heart, and I am grateful that He doesn't expect me to arrive at perfection before He can use me.

Sometimes humility looks like saying, “I was wrong.”

Sometimes it looks like letting something go.

Sometimes it means celebrating someone else's victory.

Sometimes it means listening instead of defending myself.

Sometimes it means putting someone else's needs ahead of my own.

And sometimes it simply means asking God to help me see people the way He sees them.

A Different Way to Live

The world often teaches us to look out for number one.

Build yourself up.

Make sure you're recognized.

Get ahead.

Protect your position.

Make sure everyone knows what you've accomplished.

But Jesus shows us another way.

Serve.
Love.
Give.
Encourage.
Forgive.
Lift others up.
Put others first.

That doesn't make us weak.

It makes us more like Him.

And I think that's what Philippians 2:3 is really asking of me—not to think less of myself, but to stop making myself the center of the story.

Because when my eyes are fixed on Jesus, I have less need to prove myself.

I can celebrate someone else's blessings.

I can cheer someone else on.

I can extend grace.

I can serve without needing recognition.

I can love without keeping score.

And I can remember that there is plenty of room in God's kingdom for someone else to shine without making my own light any dimmer.

Lord, give me the heart of Jesus.

Help me lay down selfish ambition and pride. Help me see others through Your eyes. Help me to listen more, serve more, encourage more, and love more.

And when I'm tempted to make everything about me, remind me that it was never about me in the first place.

It has always been about You.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

That is the heart I want.

Not a heart that asks, “What can I get?”

But a heart that asks,

“How can I love?”

“How can I serve?”

“How can I bless someone today?”

Because that is the kind of heart that looks a little more like Jesus.

Whoever Has Ears to Hear, Let Them Hear

Whoever Has Ears to Hear, Let Them Hear

In Mark 4, Jesus is teaching a large crowd gathered beside the Sea of Galilee. The crowd is so large that Jesus gets into a boat and teaches them from the water while they stand along the shore.

He tells them a parable about a farmer scattering seed. The seed falls on four different kinds of ground:

• Along the path — the seed is quickly taken away.
• On rocky ground — it springs up quickly but has no depth and withers.
• Among thorns — the plants grow, but the thorns choke them.
• On good soil — the seed takes root and produces a harvest.

Then Jesus says:

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

He wasn't merely talking about having functioning ears. Everyone in the crowd could physically hear His words. Jesus was talking about something deeper: Are you really listening? Are you allowing God's Word to take root in you? Are you willing to respond to what He is saying?

Later, when Jesus is alone with His disciples and those around Him, He explains the parable. The seed represents the Word of God, and the different soils represent the different ways people receive that Word.

That makes Mark 4:9 a very personal verse. It causes me to ask myself, Am I really hearing what God is saying to me, or am I simply reading His Word and moving on?

I have read this Scripture many times, but sometimes a verse we've read over and over suddenly makes us stop and think about it a little differently.

Jesus says:

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

The interesting thing about the parable is that the seed itself isn't the problem. The difference is what happens when the seed lands on different kinds of soil.

That makes me think about my own heart.

I can read my Bible every day. I can underline verses, write notes in the margins, listen to sermons and Bible teachers, and spend time studying God's Word — and I do all of that. But am I really hearing it?

Am I allowing God's Word to correct me when I need correction?

Am I willing to change when God shows me something that needs to change?

Am I listening when He reminds me to trust Him instead of trying to figure everything out myself?

Am I hearing Him when He tells me to forgive, to be patient, to love someone, to let go of worry, or simply to be still and trust Him?

There is a difference between hearing words and truly listening to them.

I think that is part of what Jesus was getting at when He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

God's Word is speaking. The question isn't whether He has something to say. The question is whether I am willing to stop, listen, and let His Word take root in me.

I've been reading through the Bible this year with The Bible Recap plan on the Bible App, and one thing I continue to realize is that God's Word isn't meant to simply give me information. It is meant to change me. It is meant to shape how I think, how I live, how I treat people, and how I respond to the circumstances of life.

Sometimes God speaks something that encourages me.

Sometimes He speaks something that challenges me.

Sometimes He speaks something I don't necessarily want to hear.

But if I truly want to follow Him, I need to have ears that are willing to hear all of it—not just the parts that are comfortable.

That is my prayer:

“Lord, help me not just to read Your Word, but to truly hear it. Give me a heart that is good soil. Help me recognize Your voice, receive what You are saying, and then live it out.”

Because having ears to hear isn't simply about listening to God's Word.

It's about being willing to do something with what we hear.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Lord, I'm listening.