Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, has had quite the NFL career with high highs of winning Super Bowls and low lows with injuries.

Dealing with elbow pain for many years, he finally had to get three torn flexor tendons surgically reattached and missed most of the 2019 season.

Of course, his year was challenging while recovering and not being able to help his team, but after listening to him on Monday night and reading about his journey to return, it appears that “Big Ben” is back.

The 38-year-old QB returned to the field Monday night for the first time in 364 days and completed 21 of 32 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns.

He wasn’t perfect, but he looked like #7 out there as he got nine different receivers involved. Roethlisberger showed energy and excitement playing again and his perspective on the season seems very optimistic.

His repaired elbow is no longer in pain like it used to be, and through all the rehab, he came out of a difficult season rejuvenated. It also sounds like he’s grown personally with all indications pointing to a maturing faith in Jesus.

As I think about Roethlisberger’s story from early NFL success…to off the field issues…to injuries…to now looking sharp and joyful at 38, the word that comes to mind is restored.

No, he’ll never be the same “Big Ben” he was at 25 and he still has plenty of wear and tear on his body, but after being repaired in more ways than one, he finds himself in a great position to have a meaningful season in Pittsburgh.

With many of us having our own “painful injury” that sends us to the sideline for a while, my encouragement for today is knowing we serve a God who restores.

Whether we look in the Bible or talk to friends or reflect on our own lives, we see how God repairs brokenness and heals hearts. Sometimes our pain puts us into a refining period or a time of rehabilitation, but there’s hope that we can and will be restored.

In many cases, when we lose relationships, or good health, or our jobs, God amazingly restores us in ways that put us into an even better position than before. We can come out of those difficult seasons rejuvenated and strengthened with a fresh outlook and perspective.

1 Peter 5:7-11 provides this encouraging challenge (NLT): “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.

“He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

“In His kindness, God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever! Amen.”

The reality is, however, that sometimes things in this life don’t get restored like we want or they take longer than we wish they would. Even so, we have to remind ourselves that not everything currently broken will be restored perfectly until Christ returns.

For now, we will still have plenty of “wear and tear on our body,” but God is always revealing His goodness to us as He restores and heals through our suffering.

Most importantly, as Psalm 23:3 (AMP) reminds us, “He refreshes and restores my soul (life); He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

It’s awesome when God restores our finances or relationships or health, but even if He chooses not to, He restores our souls, which fills us with hope and confidence for His complete and perfect eternal restoration.

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your ability and willingness to restore so many aspects of my life. Thank you for the relationships You’ve mended and the blessings You’ve provided. Thank you for the brokenness in my heart that You’ve restored. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Discussion Questions for PACKS:

  1. In what ways has God restored aspects of your life?

  2. How does your understanding of God’s ultimate restoration give you hope in the midst of the world’s brokenness?