6) Restoration and Hope
Forgiveness, new beginnings, and God's grace for broken and blended families
If you have come to this lesson carrying wounds from a failed marriage, divorce, or blended family, there is a message God wants you to hear: there is hope. The God who restores the years the locusts have eaten can restore your life also.
The God of Second Chances
Is God capable of restoring what was destroyed?
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Answer: Yes, He will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten
Joel 2:25: "And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you."
God is a specialist in restoration. He takes what was devastated and creates something new. This does not mean that consequences disappear magically, but that He can bring beauty from ashes.
What is Jesus's purpose for the brokenhearted?
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Answer: Heal the brokenhearted
Isaiah 61:1: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;"
Jesus came to heal, not to condemn. If your heart is broken by a failed marriage, He is near you and desires to restore it.
“He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.” — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, DA 499.3.
Forgiveness Is Possible
What does God promise to do when we confess our sins?
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Answer: Forgive all confessed sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness
1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
There is no sin too great for God’s forgiveness. If you have failed in your marriage, whether by your own guilt or through wounds caused by others, God offers complete forgiveness to the repentant sinner and real care to the wounded heart.
Does God remember the sins He has forgiven?
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Answer: No, He will remember their sins no more
Hebrews 8:12: "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
Forgiving Yourself and Others
Why is it important to forgive those who hurt us in marriage?
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Answer: Because God forgave us in Christ and calls us to forgive also
Ephesians 4:31-32: "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you."
Lack of forgiveness feeds bitterness and keeps us tied to the past. Forgiveness is not approving evil, denying truth, giving up justice, or returning to an unsafe situation. It is handing the pain to God and walking in freedom before Him.
What happens when we do not forgive?
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Answer: Unforgiveness imprisons us spiritually
Matthew 18:34-35: "And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."
“We are dependent upon the pardoning mercy of God every day and every hour.” — Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 5T 170.2.
Blended Families
What assurance does Romans 8:28 give to those who love God?
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Answer: That God works all things together for good to those who love Him
Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
Blended families face unique challenges, but are not outside the reach of God’s grace. With wisdom, patience, and commitment to biblical principles, they can flourish and be witnesses to restoration.
What principle does Ephesians 6:4 teach for the spiritual formation of children?
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Answer: To bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, with love and patience
Ephesians 6:4: "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
Beginning Again With Hope
What does God want to do with us, regardless of our past?
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Answer: Give us a future and hope, not for evil, but for good
Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
God has plans of hope for you. Your past does not define your future. His mercies are new every morning. Today is a new day.
What should we do with our painful past?
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Answer: Forgetting what lies behind, press toward the goal
Philippians 3:13-14: "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
“Have you fallen into sin? Then without delay seek God for mercy and pardon.” — Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 5T 177.3.
Practical Steps for Restoration
- Confess: Recognize your errors before God and receive His forgiveness
- Forgive: Release those who hurt you; forgive yourself as well
- Heal: Give time for healing; consider Christian counseling
- Learn: Identify what went wrong to avoid repeating destructive patterns
- Grow: Strengthen your personal spiritual life
- Trust: Entrust your future into God’s hands
And Now?
If you carry wounds from past relationships:
- God is not finished with you: He has plans of hope for your future
- Forgiveness is available: There is no sin beyond God’s grace
- Healing takes time: Be patient with yourself in the process
- You are not alone: Seek support in the faith community
- There is hope: Many have found restoration and happiness after failure
My Decision
I accept God’s restorative grace for my life. I ask Him to lead me in repentance, healing, and forgiveness, without denying truth, justice, and necessary protection. I entrust my past into God’s hands and look toward the future with hope, believing that He can make all things new.