Crown Of Beauty Instead Of Ashes
Have you ever felt broken beyond repair because of choices made, mistakes, or actions of another which was out of your control? Have the circumstances or consequences of these actions brought you to a point of feeling all hope is lost? Let me encourage you with a word that spoke to me in my Bible Study Fellowship class this past week. In the lecture, the instructor shared a profound truth that I believe can bring healing to many who have felt broken beyond repair. She said, “God can be trusted to redeem broken people for His glory. God takes what we think is broken beyond repair and He makes it MORE BEAUTIFUL than it was before.” What a good God we serve! That statement made speaks volumes of Hope to those who may feel broken right now. Hope is in the promise that God made to us throughout scripture. Not only is God working on what we can see or know about, but He is always working behind the scenes in our lives to repair and restore, to give you the beauty in place of ashes, joy in place of mourning, praise in place of heaviness and despair. (Isaiah 61:3)
“ God can be trusted to redeem broken people for His glory. God takes what we think is broken beyond repair and He makes it MORE BEAUTIFUL than it was before. ”
The story of Joseph is a great example of this. Because the enemy wanted to stop what God had planned, he worked a scheme through Joseph’s brothers due to their jealously and hatred of him to try to prevent what God had in store for Joseph. Little did the enemy know that Joseph would end up right where he needed to be for God’s promises to come to pass. In the meantime, Joseph went into a literal pit for a short time, was sold into slavery, while his father was told that he was killed by a wild animal. Joseph ended up in prison for a time at no fault of his own, falsely accused of something he did not do. Yet God was still working behind the scenes to repair, restore, to give Joseph beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, praise in place of despair. I’m sure you all know how the story plays out to the point that Joseph is eventually elevated to a high position in the land of Egypt. Second only to Pharaoh. Read the story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-50. God used him during a time of famine to not only have enough food for all of Egypt but also for his people. God used Joseph in amazing ways to save many lives.
You will also read how Joseph forgave his brothers for their actions. I’ll share more at another time about the importance of forgiveness. Just a quick reminder though is the fact that there is healing in forgiveness. That is one of the reasons why it is important for us to forgive others. However, the point I want to make in this blog is in the statement that Joseph made to his brothers after his dad had passed. His brothers were fearful that he held a grudge against them for the wrongs they had done against him. Joseph’s reply to them shows he realized God gave him the beauty in place of ashes, joy in place of mourning, praise in place of despair. It wasn’t only for him, it was to save many people. God turned it all around for his good and for God’s glory. (Romans 8:28) Joseph said in Genesis 50:19-20, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
I hope this will encourage those who are in a place of brokenness and despair today, lift your head up because God is about to turn it around for you when you look to Him. He can be trusted to take what is broken and make it MORE BEAUTIFUL than it was before. He will turn pain into purpose to benefit many people, all for your good and for His glory. Trust God to fulfill His promises in your life. And remember Redemption, Healing, and Restoration can be found in the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for us. Put your hope in Jesus and watch Him turn your ashes to beauty, your mourning to joy, your despair into praise! God bless you, my friends!!
Through these connections, God is doing amazing things to advance the Kingdom of God, to see many saved, delivered, and healed for the glory of God.