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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
(Photo Credit: forashes.org)

My devotion today is found in Isaiah 61:3. Although this passage of scripture brings me comfort, I wondered…

How can there be a smidgen of beauty amongst the rubble? Or ashes?

How is this even possible?

How do we see beauty amid suffering, hopelessness, or despair?

When I saw my baby sister lying in her small white coffin, I sure didn’t see any beauty in that.

When I noticed my mama with bruises on her body, I failed to see the beauty.

My former husband was known for his strength, vigor, and sure-footed, morphed into a sloppy drunk after one drink of alcohol being miles away from anything charming.

To see my grandpa become a prisoner in his own body, his barrel-chested physique becoming sunken and scrawny, was a far cry from what I considered beautiful.

For my eyes to caress my grandma’s features, once so robust and plump, turning thin and frail after having lost so much weight due to illness wasn’t lovely to behold.

Watching the back of my former husband after he pulled the rug from under my feet, and left me in the dust while I choked in my sobs and called out his name wasn’t a picturesque scene.

My tiny 29-day-old granddaughter, swollen from fluids in a medically induced coma after her open-heart surgery, wasn’t eye-appealing to me.

Scars are not beautiful. Neither are the hidden bruises on the body nor on the heart.

Death is not beautiful; the grieving of loved ones taken from you is never attractive. Hunger is not beautiful. Loneliness is not beautiful.

Repossession isn’t quaint. Foreclosure is far from delightful.

So, how can there be beauty for ashes?

I believe it is found in hope. Hope against hope. Hope that the imperfect will become perfect. Hope that the pain will cease. Hope that there will be a day of reckoning. Hope that the scattered pieces will rebuild. Hope for healing and relief. Hope that the light will dawn and a new day will come. Hope that this too shall come to pass. Hope in heaven. Hope that the best is yet to come. And most importantly, believing in the Blessed Hope that one day, we shall see our loved ones again who have crossed over.

I can yell it now from the mountaintop: Thank you, Lord, for turning my life’s ugliness into a thing of beauty!

Out of sadness and hurt, will come strength and victory.

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July 23, 2015 · 10:39 PM

May 29, 2015 · 9:41 PM

Morning Will Come

Brokenhearted…….

How can I bear the pain?

So many plans…permanently interrupted.

So many dreams….shattered.

Hopes…….dashed

All gone.

Why? Why this? Why us? Why me?

Helplessness…..hopelessness…

Life will never be the same again.

Is it even worth living?

Where are you, God?

I’m right here beside you, my child.

Even though you may not feel my presence,

I’m holding you close under the shadow of my wings.

I will walk with you through this dark night.

Do not shrink from weeping.

I gave you tears for emotional release.

Don’t try to hide your grief.

Let it become for you a source of healing,

A process of restoration,

For I have planned it so.

Those who mourn shall be blessed.

I’ll be holding on to you,

Even when you feel you can’t hold on to me.

Seek my face, child of mine.

Receive my promise, impossible as it may seem now,

That joy will come in the morning.

It may take time,

But I will heal your broken heart.

I know the night seems endless,

But MORNING WILL COME

I have promised.

—-From The Haven of Rest Newsletter

Note: I came across this poem and wanted to share it with my readers. Many times, we can’t see the light because of the overwhelming darkness, despair, grief, and pain. We wonder how long? How much more? When will it end? God, are you really there? Friends, please know that as long as you have a pulse, there is a purpose. As long as you have breath, there is hope. And as long as you’re in your right mind, there are possibilities. Under the shadow of His wings, stay the course. Full speed ahead!

Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

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Filed under Encouraged Comfort, Hope For the Hopeless

Tagged as burdens, Comforter, emotional release, encouragement, grieving, hope, joy, trials

April 21, 2015 · 7:47 PM

Joy Comes in the Morning

My heart is heavy, Lord. I can’t go another day.

The sun is hiding its face from me. Dreams are shattered. My heart is torn. Sleep escapes me. My eyes are swollen from the never-ending tears. My head hangs low. My shoulders slumped over. My feet feel like they’re walking in concrete.

Yet You say: Trust Me.

I don’t know if I can hold on longer. I’m not sure I can take another step – another hour, another minute, another second. I can’t today, Lord. I feel like a failure. I have nothing left to give. This darkness doesn’t lift. There’s trouble on every side, darkness all around. The burden is too heavy. The valley is too long. The ocean too wide. The pit too deep. God, please don’t leave me like this! Don’t forsake me now! Whom do I have besides You, Lord?

Please, God. Help. Me. To live.

Yes, child, He whispers. I am here.

Maybe … just maybe, I’ll try again tomorrow.

Personal Note: I felt compelled to jot these words down. I don’t know who this is for, but you know who you are. May hope arise within your spirit, and may you sense the Father’s peace as only He can grant in the midst of the storm. May He fill the void from within and heal the pain in your heart. Yes, He loves you just the way you are, but too much to leave you that way.

Love,
Mary A. ~