Turning Ashes Into Beautyናሙና

I have many Facebook and Instagram friends, and I imagine you might, too. But a social media friend isn’t necessarily a real friend. Often, they are an acquaintance we know something about. We know what they want us to know. But if truth be told, the messy reality of their lives may not be what we see in their posts. We need to spend time with them to turn those acquaintances into true friends. Lots of time and heartfelt, honest conversation! Time with a healthy dose of communication develops strong bonds.

Many of us “handle” knowing God the same way we approach our social media friends. We know what we have been told by a parent, pastor, Sunday School teacher, or Bible study leader about God, but we don’t know God for ourselves. We “like” what we see, and sometimes we might get enthusiastic and “love” it, but that is where the relationship ends. We will stay acquaintances until we enter into a time-committed and honest-conversation relationship. The nitty gritty of the situation comes down to this; God loves you and wants more of you! And He wants you to know more of Him.

So, why am I bringing up this dilemma now? You might be thinking, “I am hurting and need relief. We are talking about getting beauty from ashes here, right?”

Yes, you are right! Our situation is that we have some seriously deep hurts that need healing, and we wonder how in the world healing might come. So here is where the rubber meets the road; God’s Word is full of healing balm. Part of that healing balm is to know God better. When we know Him more, we can, in turn, trust Him more. Our trustworthy and faithful God stands straight and tall even when our world is askew.

God’s love for us is so great that He sent His precious son, Jesus, for us. This act, on God’s part, was an act of LOVE. And throughout His Word, we read of His love for us repeatedly. Proverbs 4:21-22 says, “My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.”

Knowing God’s character of loyal LOVE (the Hebrew word is Hesed) will help us when our messy world is crumbling in on us. And when we surrender to Him and lean into His gracious, loyal love, we rest in mighty arms. That kind of rest brings emotional healing. We are told in the Psalms that “God’s love is unfailing and higher than the heavens. His faithfulness to us reaches to the clouds” (Psalm 108:4). Knowing we are loved with that loyal love by a God Who is faithful and can be trusted is BIG. And the best way you and I will ever come to know and trust God more is through time in His Word.

In Psalm 1:2-3, we read, the person who delights in God’s Word is “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.” That kind of person is alive, fruitful, well-watered, and happy. God’s Word brings hope from despair, laughter from sorrow, and beauty from ashes. Delighting in God’s Word brings life to the weary soul. It brings hope to the crushed in spirit. And it brings healing to the one who has been shattered. A tree planted by streams of water is a great place to be! God’s Word is a powerful tool for the one needing restoration and hope. Take time to dig deeply into God’s Word today and every day.