Beauty from Ashes
~To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified~
How soon we forget lessons we have learned from previous difficulties that the Lord has led us through. Perhaps that is why He told His chosen ones, in Old Testament days, to build alters and memorials. They were used to remind frail human beings of God’s faithfulness to them in past days and that He promises to be faithful to us today and in the future. Now matter how difficult or lengthy the suffering we are in, God will be trustworthy to bring us through it as more than conquerors because of His great love for us.
Of this He reminded me this morning. I am coming out of the most agonizing time of my life. At times the pain has been so great that I thought I would die from it. Deeper grief, I can never imagine.
Perhaps my reader is going through a most difficult time of testing. As I write this, financial stress abounds and a climate of fear seems pervasive throughout the world. I hear of others with diagnosis of cancer or losing loved ones. All around, I see and hear of many of God’s children being tested in ways unfamiliar to them.
It can be most difficult to trust God to bring good out of our circumstances when all seems so wrong. We may become baffled, discouraged or disillusioned. At the extreme, we may become offended at God and, if this attitude is not dwelt with quickly and firmly, the seeds of doubt soon sprout and can become firmly rooted in our hearts as bitterness towards God grows. To combat this, it is imperative that we keep seeking God through His Word and prayer; calling upon others to uplift us in prayer, also.
Do we really believe the scripture ~ 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 ~? I love that little word “all”! For there is no trial so small or great that He is not able to weave into our lives to bring sometime beautiful out of. Over and over, in my journey with God, I have witnessed Him bring the greatest blessings and fruitfulness out of the greatest disasters of my life.
Do we trust Him? I admit there are times I have great difficulty in the area of trusting God. And yet, it has been futile in imagining the worse when I could have been resting in the arms of God, sheltered under His wings while the storms of life pass.
Jesus Christ is very great. There is absolutely nothing He cannot turn around from the ash pile of our lives and bring beauty out of. He is a faithful, trustworthy God. He cannot nor will He fail or forsake us through our difficulties. His love for us is too great to let us fall and His reputation is at stake. He cannot and will not deny us or abandon us. He will bring beauty out of the ashes of our lives and we will yet rejoice in Him.
Scripture Reference
Isaiah 61: 3
Romans 8: 28
Love conquered...
2.22.09
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Originally Posted by miepie
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