God promises us double for our trouble and roses for our thorns.
Beauty for ashes.
In the Bible, ashes were a literal sign of tragedy – they represented mourning, grief, or repentance.
Ashes signify something that has died in your life. A relationship, a marriage, a career, a dream, a person, a ministry or even a much cherished dream. Only Lord Jesus can bring beauty out of it.
Life has been hard for many of us. It’s harder for many around the world.
Some of us have had many dreams go up in smoke. We may have pivoted around some plans, but some dreams have died completely. And all we are left with, are ashes. Of good times that somehow passed us by. People around us also have patches of ashes scattered around in their own lives.
But GOD can still work. JESUS can still give us beauty from our broken mess. He can turn tests into testimonies. “And provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy, instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour”. (Isaiah 61:3)
I don’t know about you, but I would call that a supernatural exchange. He can take all the messes and make those into His messages for the world. He can love us if we let Him, nurture us through His Holy Spirit and the Word. Turn us into oaks of righteousness and display His handiwork through us.
So I suppose we should be able to accept the ashes first, by His grace…before the whole tapestry of life is unveiled to reveal His plans for our lives.
Our difficulties are earthly, but God’s comfort is eternal.
#BeautyForAshes #HisOwn
