God Gives Beauty for 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. Isaiah 61:3

God is a restorer and a redeemer. God can take all the ugly and hurtful things that have happened in our lives and transform them into something beautiful. No matter what your life has been like, abuse, abandonment, rejection, or trauma, God can take the pain and rebuild your life. If you have experienced deep sorrow, and you feel worthless and hopeless, hold onto God’s Word that He gives beauty for ashes. Ashes are the occurrences in our lives that have caused us much grief, agony, and heartache. God has a plan to repair the ruins in your life.

Some people have endured deep scars from sexual, physical, or mental abuse, and they feel they could never be whole or complete, but God trades the wounds and misery for His rebuilding and completeness. God never waste hurt, if you have been affected by suffering through abuse, rape, sexual assault, or any other traumatic life experiences, God desires to bring you renewal. God can take the most devastating things that have happened in your life, and renovate you and use you to bring recovery and hope to others. God will not only repair you from brokenness but He will use you to help others overcome their damaged lives.

God has a purpose for your life and He will cause something magnificent to come from the distress of your life. God desires to deliver you from the things in your past that weigh you down and cause you much heaviness. Many times, people that have a history of affliction begin to self-heal and self-medicate the pain through numerous addictions, such as alcohol, drugs, and food, but God wants to repair all of your painful memories and bring deliverance from these dependencies. God will help you work through the uncomfortable remembrances, one at a time, and He will lavish His unconditional love upon you and reconstruct you from the years of destruction. Do not be concerned what your former years were like or even what you have done, God can rectify the most distressing events in your life.

There is a reason for your existence, and God has a plan for your anguish. So many people, including myself, have helped so many individuals with their devastating life circumstances because we have not only gone through the encounters but we have allowed God to redeem, recondition and repair us.

God does give beauty for ashes.

God wants you to be delivered from what you have done and from what has been done to you - Both are equally important to Him.

― Joyce Meyer, Beauty for Ashes: Receiving Emotional Healing

Be Still Before The Lord

Trials, heartaches and debilitating circumstances may be weighing you down. Perhaps you have endured more than you think you can handle. You may be voicing to God that you are at your limit. You may be wondering if others go through such distress and trauma. You may have even thought you have done something wrong to bring on such calamity in your life. If you have ever read the book of Job in the Bible you feel like you can understand his situation because you feel like Job. You feel like there is little or no direction for your life. You are just filled with heartache and grief. You have begun to wonder what the purpose is for so much pain and turmoil. Your grief runs deep and your trials seem endless. You are desperate for peace and rest. Your zest for life has fizzled out and you drag through the days.

Consider and reflect on this scripture: The thief comes only to steal, and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. John 10:10, NIV.

What do you need to take back that the enemy has stolen from you, destroyed or killed? Has the enemy stolen your peace and joy? Destroyed your family? Or killed your passion? Are you living the abundant life that Christ came to give you? If not, maybe it is time to reclaim your life.

If you are at a place where you just cannot make sense of anything anymore; be still. Be still and listen and wait for God to show you and led you up out of the pit of despair. Being still means not trying to figure out everything or analyzing your problems. Being still means resting in God. To rest means to seize from work. You may be at “work” trying to solve your problems and trying to understand what went wrong and how to make things better. Rest your weary soul and mind. Take shelter upon the Most High God and seize (refrain) from trying to figure out outcomes and your life. Let go and let God. Embrace His comfort as you wait upon His deliverance.

Rest knowing that God will fulfill all His promises and will work all things out for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). And if you’re feeling like Job, remember that God blessed Job’s later life more than his earlier life (Job 42:12-15).