Today I am contemplating on the words of the prophet Isaiah, "comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give beauty unto ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified" Isaiah 61:2-3
The broken places in our lives cause us to mourn, and they always will root in either the burdens we carry or the weight of our sin and self-will. The broken places are where God paints beauty over the scars, wisdom over the doubts, peace over the violence. Art takes so many forms, photography, painting, sculpting, digital art. But in not one of these mediums will you see art formed from ashes. God is the Great Designer of what our lives can be once the need to serve self is burned away and from the ashes He alone can bring beauty. Not just a beauty that you know, but that others see in you. The reflection of Christ can only be clear in a high heat polished servant.

I know this because God has told me He will make me into a "tester of metals that you may determine the quality of my people" God alone can sculpt you into true greatness. The greatness that is not interdependent on the spoils of this pathetic weak planet but true abundance that starts with dying to self. He will go before you in the rough times, He will not abandon you in the trials and tribulations. He has told you "the Thoughts I think of you are for good not for evil and to prosper you and give you a HOPE!" Trust this if nothing else, as you seek Him, you will find.

I encourage you to reflect on the difficult times in your life and look for God there also. He was. As a cultural epidemic we Americans don't really sense a need for God. Our food sources are abundant, our government is strong, our military is defending our right to whatever our government thinks we need. To accomplish His work in us, we need our security burned away and allow Him mold our ashes into complete belief that God is sufficient for all our needs.