The most wonderful time of the year is often bustling with parties and celebrations, but there are many who are walking into this season with a heavy heart. This poignant and heartfelt episode will make your spirits bright with its message of trusting God in hard seasons, and — most of all — of bringing forth beauty from ashes. Listen as Leslie shares pieces of her adoption story in how God turned mourning into dancing and gain fresh vision for the “hard places” in your own life.
PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Holidays mean parties, celebrations, and gifts galore … but the holidays can also be a time of pain, trial, and disappointment for many. This episode will undergird your faith no matter the season and remind you that God’s story is not over for you yet.
TWO BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF TRUSTING GOD IN DIFFICULTY
Joseph — trusted God even in the midst of being seemingly forsaken. This godly man was betrayed by family members, sold into slavery, mistreated, falsely accused, forgotten by those helped to get out of prison … he faced insurmountable difficulty, but he kept His eyes focused on God. And, in the end, God did turn all that was meant for evil against Joseph for good. (Read Genesis 50:20.)
Job — faced extreme trauma that many would declare is unrecoverable .. and yet, God restored and richly blessed job far beyond what he lost in that great trial of his life. (Read Job 42:12-13.)
There are many examples of God turning ashes into beauty in God’s Word. We have strong reason to trust Him to turn pain into strength and victory. While it’s easy to give up hope before the story is over, continue to trust God even when you don’t see the end of the story.
KEY QUESTIONS
- Have you laid your ashes of sorrow at the feet of Jesus expectantly awaiting for Him to give you beauty in return?
- Are you trusting in God’s goodness, or allowing doubt and self-pity to push aside faith and hope?
The way we answer these questions are a matter of spiritual life or death.
THREE WAYS TO WALK THROUGH TRIAL AND DIFFICULTY
- Rejoice: When we rejoice, we see glimmers of His heavenly beauty shine through our circumstances.
- Seek the Right Comfort: Choose the kind of sympathy from others that strengthens, not weakens, your walk with Christ.
- Welcome His Presence: Don’t let a season of suffering go to waste. Instead let it push you closer to Jesus and experience the sweetness that comes when He surrounds you with His presence.
Closing Thoughts
Lilias Trotter once said, “Take the very hardest thing in your life — the place of difficulty, outward or inward, and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot. Just there He can bring your soul into blossom!”
Never forget that our God makes all things beautiful in His time. He knows how to expertly weave together both the light and dark threads to create a beautiful tapestry befitting of His glory.
Scripture References
Isaiah 61:3
Psalm 126:5
Psalm 30:11
Luke 7:23
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Recommended Resources
- The NEW Winter Issue is available for purchase while supplies last in our Set Apart Shop! Purchase the new issue or browse our holiday specials here.
- If you want to be
discipled by Eric and Leslie Ludy in 2020, get the best prices of the season with our early bird pricing. This savings onlylasts through December 2nd. Learn more and register here. - Read The Tapestry poem mentioned in this episode here.
