Beauty From Ashes

   

I had the privilege of hearing Casting Crowns perform at a Christian music festival last night. It was an amazing performance. As they sang this song, it reminded me of all the people I know who have gone through the pain of infidelity and divorce.  Sometimes it's hard for me to face how common it is. It seems like I know at least one marriage facing it all the time now. As I sang this song, I was reminded of the many late nights when I'd be laying awake in my bed, in the dark, crying and feeling alone, but knowing God was with me.  There were so many people who cared for me, but even the people who cared had lives.  They couldn't be there every night for the deep anguish. The song was a good reminder that you aren't alone even when you feel alone in the dark, in your bed at midnight, sobbing deep tears...even when the Kleenex accumulation under your bed makes you wonder if you'll ever be better. My favorite line was "cause this is the valley, and even now he is breathing on your dry bones, and there will be dancing, there will be beauty where beauty was ash and stone!" When you've lived through deep pain and trial, hearing that there will be beauty out of the ashes in your life brings so much hope.  Sometimes I try to place myself in the healing journey.  I'd say that if I compared my life to a fire, the flames are out. I'm out of the shock.  I've collected all the valuables that were left. But I'm trying to figure out how to rebuild.  There's not a lot of new green growth yet. I still see a lot of ashes laying around. The kids and I deal with the burns we experienced from the fire every day.  They are still painful. People have stepped in and tried to fill in the gaps. They've tried to replenish what we lost. I'm just thankful that we are not alone.  God sure doesn't fix messy sin situations as quickly as we want.  But He's walking through them with us.  Psalm 56:8 says- "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." Every tear you've cried was collected by Him.  He saw each one.  

Isaiah 61:3- To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.