Tonight I saw Sam Rotman perform and what a performance it was! One of the things he shared was that Rachmaninoff suffered from depression for a time, so his music had much pain in it. What struck me about this, as he was playing some pieces written by Rachmaninoff, was how Rachmaninoff poured his pain into his music, how he took his pain and made it into something beautiful. I don't know that that was his perspective, but he did it either knowingly or unknowingly. And I don't know that he was one who'd put his faith in Jesus Christ. Now, frankly, I've never been a fan of Rachmaninoff's. I always considered his music rather dark, but now I know why. It's still not my favorite classical music, but I loved hearing the story behind his music. I suppose more than that, I loved how the Lord showed me that personal pain can be turned into something beautiful. Rachmaninoff's music may not be beautiful to me, but it certainly has been/is to many others.
Isaiah 61:3 says, (NLT) "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." So, we give Him the ashes of our life and He gives us in return a crown of beauty. Hence, the way I've heard it put before, 'beauty for ashes.' Such a deal! He makes something beautiful out of the ashes we've made of our lives! He alone can turn our mourning into joyous blessing, even if not to us, to others. And we may never even realize it here in time. If we'll give Him our despair, He can turn it into festive praise! Yes! He can! And He will! If we'll let Him.
It makes me think of Horatio Spafford, who wrote "It Is Well with My Soul." If you are not familiar with his story, Google him. He lost most of what he'd owned in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, then lost all four of his daughters. He wrote this song as he sailed over to meet his wife after their deaths in 1873 or 1874. So this song has ministered to probably millions of hearts in the last 136 years or so. What an example of giving Him your pain and letting Him make beauty from ashes. Isn't He wonderful?
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