City Life Starter

I. The Word: Isaiah 61:1-3

1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,

   for the Lord has anointed me

   to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted

   and to proclaim that captives will be released

   and prisoners will be freed.

2He has sent me to tell those who mourn

   that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,

   and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

3To all who mourn in Israel,

   he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning,

   festive praise instead of despair.

In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks

   that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

Reflection Questions

1. What are some ways you express your emotions when you’re feeling down?
2. Who or what do you turn to in those low moments of life?
3. How do you think God wants you to respond to suffering?
4. How can you encourage a friend or someone you know who is going through a difficult season right now?

In difficult seasons, I have often turned to today’s passage of scripture for solace and peace. Let’s zero in on verse 3: “To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory.”

This has got to be one of the most glorious exchanges we see in all of scripture: Beauty for ashes, joyous blessing instead of mourning, and festive praise instead of despair…that’s like a total 180!

What comforts me most about this scripture is the simple fact that God is not blind to our pain. He sees exactly where we are and knows we live in a world of pain and suffering. A common misconception people have about God, particularly when they’re in a state of suffering, is that He doesn’t care. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible says the Lord is acutely aware of our sorrows:

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book (Psalm 56:8).

Another misconception people may have is that allowing yourself to grieve or be sorrowful is a sign of weakness or lack of faith. This could not be the case seeing as Jesus, who had perfect faith and never sinned, lamented over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37-39) and wept when He saw Mary and the other Jews weeping over Lazarus’s death (John 11:35).

If God keeps the record of our sorrows and if Jesus, who had complete knowledge of God’s goodness and love for Him, wept, then surely expressing sorrow and grief is an important and necessary part of human existence. It is ok to mourn your losses, unexpected detours, and disappointed hopes.

The problem, however, is when you cannot move past your pain. If you are stuck in a vicious cycle of depression and can’t get unstuck, you may need a fresh revelation on some of God’s specialties: redemption and restoration.   

Although we live in a fallen, broken world where devastating things take place, the Lord can use the suffering we go through in life to bring beauty from the ashes. What others meant for evil against you, God can work out for good (Genesis 50:20).

Don’t for a second believe that the darkness you’re facing is so overwhelming that it can drown out the light. Quite the contrary, the light will make the darkness flee.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12 NLT).

Prayer

Father, I’m so grateful I can come to you with my fears, hopes, dreams, and even disappointments. Thank You for remaining constant and compassionate in this ever-changing world. I pray You’ll heal my heart from every wound. May Your purposes prevail even through my pain. In Jesus Name, Amen.