To anyone who is acquainted with feeling spoiled, ruined, or irreparable, I hope this prayer of Jeremiah 31 whispers to you as it has done for me. I say "whisper" because God was near my ruin and He is just as faithfully near yours with these words:

"I saw you searching for rest from far away, and I have drawn near to you so that you may find grace in the wilderness. I am with you to save you from hands too strong for you.

You're ashamed because you bear the disgrace of that choice you made, that temptation you thought you would never fall for, or that hurt you gave or received. So you cover and hide. You approach yourself with disgust. You believe the lie that you are much too ruined. But I see past that damage on the surface and I look at you with love and with no shame. I remember you still. My heart yearns for you. When you can't believe that there is room for mercy, I will have mercy on you.

You will draw near to me only because I love you and draw near to you first. You can never reverse that order. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I continued my faithfulness to you.

Consider well the highway from which you can return to Me. Return, my son. Return, my daughter. Come after Me in your wilderness. There is no room for the entrance of any other love but Mine, which will gather you from afar--even the parts of you that you believe are irreparable. I will lead you to walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which you will not stumble. I will satisfy and replenish your weary soul. I will watch over you to build and to plant. The whole valley of death and the ashes of your ruin will be redeemed.

You will be rebuilt."