To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” 
Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV)

I began walking through the doors God was opening for me, so many years ago.  And as anyone who is a follower, or filled with unwavering faith, it makes a difference in every single scenario during our lifetime.

When we are well acquainted with the LORD’s promises, and His voice, we can endeavor to overtake and undertake, all kinds of circumstances.  That obviously pertains to both good and bad times and all of those in between times.

Life brings a series of gains, along with the losses.  In the progression of life, we lose loved ones along the way.  There are those we expect to “die before us” and it’s usually our grandparents, or parents, which hits full force in the pit of the stomach.  But those are expected, albeit sad and gut wrenching no less.

Some who are reading this at this moment have recently lost their spouses, and are finding themselves in a “new kind of reality.” Life is not the way it was any longer, and they are hurting.

Then there are the unexpected, and totally out of the realm of reality situations, like the loss of a precious child.  Or a young friend, that lost their life by a fatal error in an operating room, and yet another individual being killed by a driver that was under the influence.

All of these situations are horrific, some more shocking than others. I’m sure there are so many others, who have had their hearts slashed to ribbons. No matter the circumstances—Grief is real, it hurts, and it’s exhausting to the mind, heart, body and soul.

This morning when I woke up, and thanked God for another day, I felt that “someone visiting my site” needed to read, and hear this today.

The Spirit within led me to write this, and whomever you are right now, I pray it blessed you. I pray God’s light and comfort wash over you and bring you a semblance of peace and guidance from above.

Through so many “dark times” in which I’ve lost my grandparents, parents, my very best friend, acquaintances and the loss of our fur baby, whom we adored…There was one common denominator in all of the sad times…God had been there non-stop.

Just as I know He’s there for you right this moment. He has been with us all along. His promises are real, secure, and never ending. Especially His love.

He has given me bouquet upon bouquet of beauty,  for my clenched fists full of ashes.  And He will do the same for you.

Thank God, for the majority of individuals, life overall can be filled with joy.  However, on the same hand, it can be blistering painful.

But how we manage to get through it, is what it’s all about.

When we embrace, and realize that God is ever faithful, the same today, as He was yesterday, or tomorrow—and realize His promises are true—We can certainly get through life as He holds us up with His right hand of righteousness.

He promises us “beauty for our ashes,” as He did with Joseph.  He did so with Ruth, and for Job, and a host of others throughout the ages in the Bible and to this very day in time.

There is always an “open door” that God will guide us through.  Or an open window, to let the fresh air in, when we recognize that the LORD’s promises, and His unrelenting love are there for us all the time.  We then are able to see potential in every situation we face, because we are facing it alone. Nope, we are NOT ALONE.

Because no matter how we are suffering, He hears and sees us. He counts our tears, and He always has a plan for us…for our betterment, and for our peace.

When we know Him, it gets easier to face our adversities, no one said it’s easy, but it is so much better when the LORD is in the center of our lives, and we understand that He is in control.

 

“Father, thank You for always providing the path and the door for me to walk through, for opening a window for those moments in my life I couldn’t breathe from so much pain and grief, and for always loving me, may I always be mindful of Your grace, and Your gifts from above,  I pray for those who are in need of Your touch, and  for those who are suffering, may they find comfort in You, and seek Your face in all they do, in Jesus name, Amen.”