It takes time

Amos 9:14 …I will bring my people Israel back from exile.  They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.  They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit…

This verse is my reminder that God carries no grudges!  When we are spiritually restored, whether initially in our salvation or in those times when we must be restored following our wandering or backsliding, our restoration can be “complete.”  It may take some time and effort to be fully restored but it can and will happen.  When God brought Israel back from exile, He did not perform a miracle to get the cities, houses, vineyards, or gardens back to their full potential.  The Israelites had to work hard to make that happen.  And it did not happen quickly.  All the restoration took time.  It will be that way in our lives as well.  There will be things that take time for full restoration even though the spiritual exile is over in an instant.