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Beauty for Ashes

by | Feb 22, 2014 | Devotionals

Lord, please speak to my heart today. Help me move past the urgency of temporary demands into your eternal presence. Father, You know the many burdens on my mind right now. There are many people I love who don’t know You, and people who wallow in misery because they choose their own ways above yours, work related issues, and ministry related issues. I need You to come to the rescue! I am powerless in so many of these areas—well, probably in all of them. I know that if I am allowing worry to come in, then I am not walking in the Spirit—plain and simple. In your presence, there is fullness of joy and worry cannot enter. I tell myself over and over that I need to practice your presence, I need to worship, I need to surrender all to You, and yet I find myself stressing and trying to figure out ways to fix what is broken. Problem is, those things are like Humpty Dumpty to me—they can’t be fixed. The beautiful thing is that You specialize in using brokenness to create something brand new. So today I hand all these pieces to You. Take them and remake them into something beautiful for your kingdom.

Father, I am so grieved over a loved one right now. Help me separate the grief from worry by completely surrendering this situation to You again and again. Father bind up the wounds and heal the brokenhearted. You give beauty for ashes, and all I see now is ashes. I ask You to turn my mourning into dancing, and cloth me with gladness. Let me tell others of your goodness, and your amazing ability to redeem hopeless situations. Father, I put this in your mighty and competent hands once more! Take it and do abundantly, exceedingly above what I could ask or think! I do not trust or hope in this person, but I trust You and am giving this to You again. Thank You for answered prayers. Forgive me for being impatient when they don’t get answered according to my plan. This is your burden Lord, and I trust You to turn it around in your perfect timing. Amen.

My child, in your grief embrace joy, even as I grieve and rejoice over my fallen creation. Though there are many grievous things in this world, I have overcome the world, and am watching over my word to perform it (Jn. 16:33, Jer. 1:12). Rejoice in Me, and know that I have good plans for you (Jer. 29:11). I see your tears and I know your heartache. I have been rejected and replaced by many false gods since the beginning of the world. It is beyond sad, but I came to Earth and bore the sorrow, because of the joy set before Me (Heb. 12:2). Focus on Me and my redemptive plan little one. Know that I can give beauty for ashes and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Is. 61:3). Rejoice in Me always! (Ph. 4:4).  Remember there is nothing that can separate you from my love, and you can trust Me because I love you and desire things that are your best interest. Rest in Me and trust Me always remembering that I am good. Let Me carry this burden.