Have you ever looked back on your life and felt the weight of disappointment? Plans that fell apart. Years that seem wasted. Regrets that linger over choices you made—or things that happened to you. Seasons of shame or sorrow that left your heart feeling stripped bare, as if a swarm had devoured every good thing.
If that describes where you are today, take heart. There is real hope in Jesus. Your story is not over, and God specializes in restoration.
In the Book of Joel, the Bible uses a powerful image to describe such devastation—a locust swarm that consumed everything in its path, leaving the people in a great famine. Yet God gives this beautiful promise to His people:
“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.” Joel 2:25-27
God can restore what was eaten away. He can bring abundance where there was loss and turn devastation into a blessing. Charles Spurgeon once encouraged believers with these words:
“You cannot have back your time; but there is a strange and wonderful way in which God can give back to you the wasted blessings, the unripened fruits of years over which you mourned. The fruits of wasted years may yet be yours.”
This kind of restoration is not something we achieve on our own; rather, it begins when we come to Jesus with our burdens as He commanded:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
This rest is more than relief—it includes deep soul renewal and new life. When we place our trust in Jesus Christ and are born again, our past no longer defines us. We receive forgiveness, a fresh start, and the power to live differently. The apostle Paul points us to the ultimate victory we have in Christ:
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
When God becomes the center of our lives, even the years ahead can overflow with purpose. Scripture calls us to this mindset:
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
Living with this attitude means our remaining years can count for eternity. We cannot recover lost time in the same way it was spent, but by deciding to live for God’s glory for the remainder of our lives— we can experience a satisfied life of fruit, joy, purpose, and blessings beyond what we can imagine. No matter how your story began or how many years feel wasted, it is not the end.
God can redeem your life completely when you fully surrender every area of it to Him.
If you carry regrets, shame, or sorrow today, bring them to Jesus. He offers forgiveness, restoration, and a new path filled with His goodness.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for being the God who restores. You see my regrets and sorrows, and You promise to redeem what I have wasted. Lord, help me to surrender fully to You and live every moment—big or small—for Your glory. Make me steadfast and immovable, always abounding in YOUR work for YOUR glory. Fill my heart with joy and purpose. Let my remaining years bear abundant fruit that honors You. In the mighty and victorious name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Happy Running!
Melissa Sharp is an ultra runner and running coach who has completed more than 100 marathons and ultra marathons. Melissa has learned how to keep running the race of life for the glory of Christ even though she endured decades of domestic abuse. Melissa is a survivor. Through her daily blog thejoyfilledrunner she inspires others to live in the strength of Christ.
