Beauty For Ashes

Have you ever wondered why? Why you have to go through what you are currently going through? My friend, it is called a process. See, sometimes we ask God to take us to new levels in our walk but before that can happen he has to strip away certain things out of our lives. Certain bad habits, certain behaviours that are not of him and certain tendencies that aren't causing you to grow or be fruitful. He has to cut off the branches that are not of him and prune the ones that are and sometimes.. most times it is not easy. Our Father wants the best for us and he desires to give us the best but before we can receive we have to give up and surrender our all to him.. not just some or parts but all. All the gossiping, all the malice, all the hatred, all the bitterness, all the hurt and yes, all of the trauma. When we start to go through the process we will begin to understand why it is necessary, we begin to recognize who we truly are and who we were called to be; we begin to tap in to new levels in the Spirit that we did not know was there. The scripture urges us to draw nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto us. The more you seek him and bask in his presence, the more you develop that intimate relationship with him and it is the more our lives will begin to transform. The way we talk, walk, dress and act begin to look different; true beauty starts to take place, true renewal starts to take place and before you know it you're at a level that you did not ask to be at; a level that you did not know existed. Isaiah 61:3 says, to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for 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. So the next time you ask the Father to take you higher just know that there are somethings that cannot come with you; some baggage that you will need to let go of to get there.