Beauty for Ashes

"And provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
   instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
   instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
   instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
   a planting of the LORD
   for the display of his splendor."
Isaiah 61:3

I feel that a word of encouragement is in order today. I encounter people everyday who are struggling with despair. In the Old Testament times, when a loved one died or a desperate situation occurred, people would wear sackloth which was a burlap type of garment. They would dump ashes over themselves as they grieved for the person or situation. The scripture above is a direct reference to this cultural act of grief or despair. In the scripture, God is delivering a great word of encouragement for all those who dwell in Zion, his holy hill. This is not only for the Jews of the day, it is for us as well. We too, dwell in Zion, the place where God dwells.
    I don't know what you may be mourning for. I don't know the despair you may feel or the situation that has caused it. But there is a time for despair and mourning to fall away. Although there are times for these activities, God never planned for us to continue to live this way. There is always something on the other side of our struggle. Listen carefully, the circumstance or situation that is causing your despair may not change immediately, but your life can change while in the middle of the trial. This is the great truth that God wants us to realize. He wants to change our mourning to gladness and our despair to praise.
    The way these things happen in our lives requires a change of mind. This is perhaps the most difficult thing to do in the Christian experience. You see, we have been conditioned to react to difficult situations and circumstances in a particular negative way. The trial is so consuming that we can see no joy. The only answer is for us to change our minds and find peace and joy by finding God. Yes, even though we know we have given ourselves to him, we must always choose to find him in the same way we did when we gave our lives to him. It is a matter of seeking God. His promise to us is this: Those who seek him, find him. When this happens, our mourning will turn to gladness, our despair to praise.
    Think about the possibilities. No matter what your circumstance, you can find joy and gladness through your relationship with God. no matter how deep the pit of despair, it can be turned to praise for our God. I know the emotional crisis you may be facing is traumatic. I know it hurts. But God is there waiting for you. He will be your joy and that will prompt praise for him that comes from the sincerity of your heart. All this is done that his glory might be displayed through your life. Your outlook on life can and will change and others will see it happen. The results can only be praise for God. Lift up your eyes, the God of heaven is waiting for you.