Beauty from Ashes

 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give 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
                                                                                                                   The Holy Bible, KJV                

Pastor Joel Osteen selected this verse to teach a lesson on getting past disappointment and loss.  I found it in my journal, Today’s Word, that he co-authored with his wife Victoria. I am always amazed at the relevance of the message and how it syncs with the words of my own pastor on any given Sunday. This is a word worth sharing with Seasoned You.

Everyone has experienced hurt and disappointment.  We’ve all been burned by life. But God doesn’t want us to sit in the ashes of the past.  He wants us to trade our brokenness for healing. He wants to give us beauty for our ashes, joy for mourning, and praise for despair.  Ashes represent what’s left over after something’s been burned up --- our broken dreams, our disappointments, our hurts, our failures.  The key is that we have to be willing to give up the ashes in order to receive the beauty. You can’t have both because the old has to go before the new can come.
                                                                                                                       Joel & Victoria Osteen
                                                                                                                       Today’s Word             

Just think about it. Are you still mourning the loss of a love or a friendship?  Whether it was caused by an argument, a move across the country, or death itself, we still must get rid of the ashes. We must put them in a safe place and not bury ourselves in them as if we were immersing ourselves in our sorrow. We must face the new day with hope and gratitude.  We must find our praise in the midst of our passion. We must allow ourselves to find joy.

So in the words of Pastor Osteen,

Don’t waste another day sitting in the ashes. The past is over but your future remains. Your best days are ahead. Let God give you joy instead of mourning, and let Him make something beautiful out of the ashes of your life today.

What will God make for you? What are you missing in your life today? What can you do to help move you forward in getting the things you want? Be grateful for the positives in your life, and find beauty in the ashes.