Overcoming the Past - Beauty from Ashes (Daily Devotional)

Shalom and welcome once again to another episode of Living Supernaturally. As we are looking into God’s word through this series, we have been looking at overcoming the past and we have looked at different aspects in the bible that teaches and shows us how we can live lives of victory. In today’s episode, we are looking at how we can have beauty from ashes. As we have been looking and seeing that when we walk through difficult moments or painful seasons, it can sometimes feel that our lives are reduced to nothing and reduced to ashes. All we notice is brokenness but God does His best work in broken places. He is the restorer! We read in Isaiah chapter 61, verse 3, ‘To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. Fo the lord has planted hem like strong and graceful oaks planted for his own glory.’ This verse directly speaks to those who are mourning, suffering loss or who are broken. Zion here in this verse refers to God’s people and this shows that God is attentive to those in brokenness. He is not distant but He draws near with His comfort and hope. He just doesn’t take away the ashes but He gives beauty in exchange for them. He doesn’t ignore the mourning but He brings gladness and joy. The verse shows us that God doesn’t only heal but He transforms. He makes things new and brings beauty out of all the mess. Beauty from ashes means that God can bring meaning even in brokenness, even at a time of suffering. Strength can arise even at a time of weakness where our lives become a testimony in the place of pain. God promises to replace the ashes of our broken past with a crown of beauty which is a symbol of honor and dignity. God does even more. In another version of this verse, it says, they would be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. Oaks are strong rooted trees. If you are broken and grieving, you will become strong, stable and deeply rooted in God’s righteousness. Your transformed life is what will reveal God’s glory to the world, that is a picture of transformation. So, God takes the worst of our lives and replaces them with beauty, joy and praise. Not only does He heal us, but He uses our restored lives to really display who He is and His goodness. So, would you believe that God can take away all our ashes and make it and transform it into beauty? Let’s pray together, Heavenly Father, I speak over all who are here today listening who feel broken. We hold on to your promise that you’re the one who changes ashes to beauty, mourning to joy. Thank you for what you have restored back to us. Because of what you have done for us; we can live in victory. May there be joy in laughter in place of weakness and sadness. Thank you for your grace, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Thank you for tuning in to Living Supernaturally, for more resources to strengthen your spiritual walk, please visit apcwo.org.