"...He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted. To tell those who grieve that the time of the Lord's rest and favor has come. To all who mourn he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing, and festive praise instead of despair...For in all our suffering He also suffered, and He personally rescued us. In His love and mercy He redeemed us (bought us back). He lifted us up and carried us through all the years." Isaiah 61
I recently experienced a drama production based on "Affabel" by John Bevere that spoke volumes to my heart.
It featured the lives of five friends as they made their way through life and then faced eternity. The character "Faintheart" was an innocent, sweet girl who was brutally betrayed and hurt by another. Her innocence and pure heart was marred by pain, and she sadly grew bitter and joyless.
It was so hard to watch as this happened. John 10:10 says "The thief (satan) has come to steal, kill, and destroy, but I (Jesus) have come to bring life and life more abundant." Oh, how we see this in our world of suffering and injustice.
It featured the lives of five friends as they made their way through life and then faced eternity. The character "Faintheart" was an innocent, sweet girl who was brutally betrayed and hurt by another. Her innocence and pure heart was marred by pain, and she sadly grew bitter and joyless.
It was so hard to watch as this happened. John 10:10 says "The thief (satan) has come to steal, kill, and destroy, but I (Jesus) have come to bring life and life more abundant." Oh, how we see this in our world of suffering and injustice.
God's love is so passionate that He tore open the windows of Heaven and ran down to Earth wrapped in garments of suffering and love. He cares deeply when one of us is hurt. So much so, that he took upon his own body our very pains and sorrows, so we could receive His healing and peace. But what a journey we walk in this fallen world, as the enemy of our souls uses every diabolical tactic imaginable to keep us from this Truth.
The "Orphan Spirit" and "Self-Protection"
The one human "Faintheart" trusted to care for her proved untrustworthy.
She felt alone and conflicted and learned to protect her orphaned heart at all cost, fearing more loss and abandonment. That fear kept her from entrusting herself to the only One who loved her completely, and sadly, she ultimately faced eternity without her only source of healing and Life.
She felt alone and conflicted and learned to protect her orphaned heart at all cost, fearing more loss and abandonment. That fear kept her from entrusting herself to the only One who loved her completely, and sadly, she ultimately faced eternity without her only source of healing and Life.
Divine Justice
"...then I realized that my heart was bitter and I was all torn up inside, YET I still belong to You." Psalm 73
It is so hard to entrust our broken hearts to pure Love and trust Him to bring justice instead of ourselves. But we can because He promises recompense for all our suffering, and justice upon that which harms us.
He takes care of us better than we can, especially since our brokenness paralyzes us emotionally. He will "make our cause shine like the dawn" and bestow on us "beauty for ashes" when our hearts are mangled. We can forgive others because we know forgiveness is NOT excusing them at all. It is releasing them (along with the hurt they cause) to a Father God who gave His very life to restore us to the same condition we could have been before the pain and injustice occurred.
A perfect Judge. A perfect Father. Everything we always needed and never got.
He takes care of us better than we can, especially since our brokenness paralyzes us emotionally. He will "make our cause shine like the dawn" and bestow on us "beauty for ashes" when our hearts are mangled. We can forgive others because we know forgiveness is NOT excusing them at all. It is releasing them (along with the hurt they cause) to a Father God who gave His very life to restore us to the same condition we could have been before the pain and injustice occurred.
A perfect Judge. A perfect Father. Everything we always needed and never got.
In my weakness I knew it was impossible for this orphaned heart to trust anyone. But I'm so thankful for this simple prayer that literally changed my life. "Lord, teach me to trust You." He has been faithful to do that and continues to heal this broken heart of mine little by little, one beautiful Word at a time.
"...trade these ashes in for beauty...lay every burden at His feet...breathe in the life He won for me...it's here I'm made complete."
1 comment:
Wow, Peach, this really touched me, very deeply. Thank you so very much for sharing this and bringing gentleness and hope.
Myst xxx
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