Beauty From Ashes

A few days ago, I shared with you a devotion about fireweed and how it can remind us of the fleeting nature of life. Today, I'd like to share another encouraging thought the Lord showed me through this remarkable plant.

You see, fireweed isn't just known for its brief but beautiful life cycle. It's also famous for its uncanny ability to thrive in the most unlikely places. Where forest fires have ravaged the land, mudslides have torn through hillsides, or human activity has left scars on the earth, fireweed is often the first to appear, painting the landscape with its cheerful purple hues.

As I gazed at the fireweed, I couldn't help but marvel at God's intricate design. He created a plant that not only survives in damaged areas but flourishes there. It's as if the Lord looked at the devastation and said, "Watch what I can do with this."

Isn't that just like our Heavenly Father? When our lives feel scorched by the fires of trials or torn apart by the mudslides of heartache, He doesn't abandon us. No, He sees our brokenness as an opportunity to showcase His restorative power.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of this divine ability when he declared, "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" (Isaiah 61:3).

Just as fireweed brings life and color to barren landscapes, God brings beauty out of the ashes of our lives. He takes our pain and transforms it into purpose, our sorrow into strength, our despair into hope.

I remember countless times when my own life felt like a scorched wasteland. Health issues had left me feeling useless and discouraged, and ministry demands had overwhelmed me.  But in those seasons of brokenness, God planted seeds of compassion in my heart. He used my struggles to help me better understand and empathize with others facing similar challenges. What I thought might be the end of my ministry became the beginning of a new, more impactful one.

Perhaps you're in a season where life feels charred and lifeless, like a forest after a devastating wildfire. The landscape of your heart seems barren, devoid of hope or purpose. You may wonder if anything good can ever grow from this desolate terrain. Take heart, dear friend, for even in the most scorched places, new life can emerge. Just as surely as fireweed springs up in burned-over areas, God can bring new life from your pain. He specializes in restoration, bringing order out of chaos, and creating masterpieces from messes.

As the apostle Paul reminds us, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Even in our darkest moments, God is at work, ready to bring forth life and beauty in ways we could never imagine.

So take heart, dear one. Your season of fireweed is coming. The ashes of your past are merely the soil from which God's beautiful restoration will bloom.

The Illusion of Greener Pastures

Have you ever driven by a sheep farm and seen those silly sheep with their heads stuck through the fence, munching away at the grass on the other side? I see it all the time here in Wales, and it always makes me chuckle. I mean, come on, sheep! The grass is the same on your side of the fence. But for some reason, the stuff just out of reach always seems greener, doesn't it?

As humans, we're not that different from those woolly creatures, are we? We've got this bad habit of ignoring the blessings right in front of us and instead reaching for things that are out of our grasp. We're never quite satisfied with what we have.

Take the Israelites, for example. After God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, you'd think they'd be a little more grateful. But nope! As soon as things got tough in the wilderness, they started complaining and whining about how much better they had it back in Egypt.

"Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full!" (Exodus 16:3)

Seriously, guys? You were slaves! God just performed all these amazing miracles to set you free, and you're already pining for your old life of bondage? Talk about having your heads stuck in the fence!

And let's not even get started on the Prodigal Son. Here's a kid who had it made, living in the comfort of his father's house, wanting for nothing. But did he appreciate it? Of course not! He demanded his inheritance early so he could go off and squander it on "riotous living" (Luke 15:13).

It wasn't until he'd hit rock bottom, feeding pigs and longing for their slop, that he finally came to his senses and realised how good he had it back home. Sometimes, we have to lose everything before genuinely appreciating what we've been given.

The sad truth is that we're all a little bit like those sheep, the Israelites, and the Prodigal Son. God has blessed us immeasurably—with life, with family, with provision, and with salvation through His Son. But instead of being content and grateful, we're always stretching our necks through the fence, thinking the grass looks greener on the other side.

Well, let me tell you a little secret: it's not. The grass is greenest right where you're planted, friends. When we learn to be satisfied with God's blessings and content in our circumstances, we'll finally find true joy and peace.

As Paul said in Philippians 4:11, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." May we all strive for that same contentment and gratitude, keeping our eyes fixed on the Giver of all good things rather than craning our necks towards greener pastures.

What Are You Doing There?

A few mornings ago, I awoke to birds chirping outside my bedroom window. With my eyes still closed, I enjoyed the birdsong and sounds of life waking to a new day. When I opened my eyes and looked out the window to view the peaceful pasture behind our house, I noticed something very peculiar. A single white wildflower protruded from the top of the nearest bush. It was the oddest sight.

Intrigued, I climbed out of bed and dressed to investigate. It turns out the flower is not growing out of the bush but rather through the bush. Currently, it stands over five feet tall and sticks out six to eight inches above the top of the bush. From what I can tell, there are no other wildflowers like it anywhere in our yard (or garden, as it is referred to in the UK). No, it’s a single wildflower, pushing its way through an immensely dense bush to reach towards the heavens. Amazing!

Now, when I look out my window each morning and spot that determined flower, I can’t help but think of the phrase, “Bloom where you’re planted.” Let’s face it, sometimes we end up in situations and wonder, How did I get here? Often, we look at the task ahead of us and feel as if we’re all alone in this battle. Many times, it feels like life is closing in on us, blocking out the light of day and nearly choking the life out of us. Yes, sometimes we look at our lives and think, I don’t belong here.

But God has placed each of us where we are for a reason, and if we’re in the place He’s led us, we can rest assured that we can bloom where we’ve been planted. It may not be easy, but it is possible. Just ask that little wildflower outside my window. It’s been blooming for quite a few days now, and it doesn’t look like it will quit anytime soon. Despite its peculiar perch, it seems determined to rise above all circumstances. May we be so persistent in living out the lives to which God has called us.

Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.  They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;  To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. - Psalm 92:13-15