Beauty for Ashes

As I was talking with a woman on the phone about what God had been doing through this Bible study, she made a simple statement that stopped me in my tracks.

She said, "I'm so thankful God can use ashes. You know, ashes are actually good for a garden. They help things grow."

The moment she said those words, I knew the Lord was teaching me something.

Ashes make things grow.

I have to admit, I had never really thought much about ashes except as the leftover remains of something that had been burned. To me, ashes represented loss—the evidence that something once beautiful had been consumed by fire.

Curious, I did a little research.

To my surprise, wood ashes have many practical uses.

They enrich the soil by adding nutrients that help plants flourish.

How much more does God nourish our souls through seasons of pain? He takes the very things that seem to have destroyed us and uses them to cultivate new life within us.

Wood ash can also raise the pH of the soil, creating a healthier environment for growth.

In much the same way, God changes the condition of our hearts. He softens what has become hardened, restores what has been damaged, and transforms us so His beauty can be seen in us.

Ashes can even keep harmful pests away.

What a picture of the wisdom and discernment God develops through our trials. The lessons we've learned often become the very things that protect us from repeating old mistakes and help us guide others along the way.

Ashes can be used to clean glass.

David prayed,

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
—Psalm 51:10

Only God can cleanse a heart clouded by sin and restore spiritual clarity.

Ashes can absorb spills.

Isn't that exactly what Jesus does?

He steps into the messes we've made and, through His grace, transforms them into testimonies of redemption.

Ashes can even provide traction on icy walkways, giving us stability when the ground beneath us is slippery.

Likewise, God uses our difficult seasons to steady our faith and help us keep moving forward.

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
—Philippians 3:14

Then I thought about Isaiah's promise.

God doesn't simply remove our ashes.

He exchanges them.

"...to give unto them beauty for ashes..."
—Isaiah 61:3

What a beautiful picture.

The ashes in our lives represent the painful places—the broken dreams, shattered relationships, failures, disappointments, grief, abuse, addiction, betrayal, regret, and loss.

To us, they often look like nothing more than the leftover residue of a fire we never wanted to walk through.

But God sees fertile soil.

He sees the place where new life can begin.

He takes what appears to be ruined and grows something beautiful from it.

So what is God growing in the garden of your life?

Perhaps He's producing joy where there was once sorrow.

Peace where anxiety once ruled.

Courage where fear held you captive.

Wisdom born from painful mistakes.

Discernment through difficult experiences.

Strength through suffering.

Compassion for others because you've walked a similar road.

The very place that once seemed barren may become the place where His grace blooms the brightest.

Ashes also remind me of scars.

Scars are often viewed as the leftover evidence of pain, but they tell a story.

People are naturally curious about physical scars because they reveal that someone has survived something.

I have a scar on my big toe that has been there since I was a little girl.

I was racing my Big Wheel down the road after my mother warned me to get out of the street. Feeling the wind whip through my hair, I thought I was flying—until I hit a rock, flipped over the handlebars, and landed hard on the pavement.

I looked down to see my toe bleeding and my arms covered with scrapes. I cried all the way home.

I've never forgotten that lesson.

Even today, every time I notice that little scar, I'm reminded that speeding down a hill on a Big Wheel at five years old wasn't my brightest decision.

Scars tell stories.

Not all scars can be seen, though.

Some are hidden beneath smiles.

They come from abuse.

Divorce.

Addiction.

Abortion.

Betrayal.

Loss.

Rejection.

The wounds may no longer be visible, but the scars remain.

Yet even those scars can become reminders—not simply of what happened to us—but of God's faithfulness to carry us through it.

The greatest scars ever carried are the scars in the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

They are eternal reminders of His victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave.

Those scars tell the greatest story ever told—the story of forgiveness, redemption, mercy, and unconditional love.

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree... by whose stripes ye were healed."
—1 Peter 2:24

If you have never placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior, today can be the day your story changes forever. We would love the opportunity to introduce you to the One who makes all things new.

And if you already know Him, don't hide your scars.

When God opens the door, share your story.

Someone else may find hope because they discover that the same God who restored you can restore them too.

Never forget...

God is in the business of growing gardens from ashes.

He turns mourning into dancing.

He replaces despair with hope.

He transforms brokenness into beauty.

He doesn't waste a single hurt.

"Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness... O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever."
—Psalm 30:11–12

So don't despise the ashes.

Place them in the hands of the Master Gardener.

You may see what was burned.

God sees what is about to bloom.