Beauty for Ashes

Just this morning I found myself feeling the sting of something that happened to me years ago, and that I thought I had gotten over and forgiven the offender for!

I was really caught off-guard when feelings of resentment and unforgiveness surfaced concerning this particular incident. I had to give myself a good shake and remember that I really do believe all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are the called according to his purpose.

All things--even the worst things. I can even thank him for the things that hurt and marvel that according to his great mercy and power I am even still alive (if I dwell on some things though, it can get scary).

I have found that is the only way I can truly forgive. That and asking myself just what that person could do that would satify my sense of justice and settle it for me.

This answer to that of course, is that there is nothing they could do to make up for the pain and injustice. Nothing that would satisfy my soul.

Only Jesus can give me peace on that one as I obey him in forgiving and be consciously thankful that he can take these awful things and through a power only he has, make something beautiful grow from the experience.

He truly does give beauty for ashes....

Amen! And thanks for raising a Talk topic I don't hear talked about too much in Christian circles. Also, I notice you're an author who writes on this topic, so you might want to consider setting up an LT Author Page--I don't know how though. You can still keep your profile page, too.

(Crystal Lewis sang a pretty duet "Beauty for Ashes" back in the '90s)

I checked into becoming a library thing author. The instructions are to contact abby@librarything.com, which I did. I am still waiting to hear back from her.

I just found this site. I really love it.

Thanks so much for your response to Beauty for Ashes.

Cool, and if you haven't noticed with other LT authors, once you become an LT author and I buy one of your books, then from my profile page clicking on my "author cloud" link will bring up your name along with the other authors, but by your name will be a Yellow LT author icon. In fact, I think I'm going to head on over to Amazon and buy one of your books now. (Hope it's not heretical or anything, ;-)

Though I have not personally experienced spousal abuse or domestic violence personally, I totally agree with you about the power of Jesus for emotional healing, because I held deep bitterness towards someone from my childhood for emotional reasons and after I got saved I called the person and apologized for mistreatment on my part and expecting and receiving nothing in return I then turned to Jesus, telling Him that I was helpless on my own to forgive and forget, and would he take the bitterness away--and He not only did, but filled me with a love and compasion for the person, totally blew me away.