Ashes to Authentic
To grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Isaiah 61:3
When you look ‘round at the pile of ashes, back to the wall on a cold harsh floor,
you cry out to a seemingly empty void, and think, I just can’t hope anymore.
Here, now,
the way of authenticity is calling.
A beckon to true, a beacon to real hope.
It’s not that the ashes disappear or the pain subsides.
No, not at all. You see,
authenticity is pressed out on floors and in the middle of ash piles.
It’s in the broken devastation of hoped for things and of disillusionment overtaking
shattered plans and broken heart.
Here the Authentic One sits in the ashes with you,
here the Truest Heart stays true and good,
He stays, and sits. He whispers to you in your pain,
the authenticity in you that is longing to be heard, IS heard, is seen, is met
only in Me, the Authentic.
Be authentic with the One who you can’t pretend with. He wants to hear your heart.
All of it.
He doesn’t want your pretense or your games that others have taught you are the “safe” way
the survival way.
He calls you to the way of living, not surviving, of beginning again,
this time in authenticity.
Authenticity is learned in the ashes, but it also is the only way to RISE from them.
When we are willing to be authentic and real with God, only then can we know ourselves in truth.
Only then can we know His heart truly and dwell in the fullness of Him.
Only then can we live life as He designed, in authenticity and freedom, fulfilling our purpose, grounded in truth and love.
Because He is a God who wants your heart, He wants YOU and will not settle for anything less than the authentic.
In world where you’ve learned the hard way that trust is not to be given so easily,
and you’ve cried in authentic desperation, is anyone safe to trust?
Rest assured, you ARE safe to be real with Him,
the Authentic One.
The truth is that pain, grief, and loss… disappointment,
these things teach us or at least beckon us to lay down our masks and presentations for God
to open our hearts again to be authentic and bare—to be true, no matter the cost,
cause be real, you’ve endured too much, you’ve spent it all,
there’s no going back to anything less than what is actually true.
Pressed beyond measure leads to truth at all costs.
He whispers to your grieving heart,
that’s the point, Beloved.
Being true—a full surrender.
Then, you can rise from these ashes with Me by your side forever,
wearing the headdress of authenticity called Freedom.
From these ashes, choose authenticity
with yourself
with others
and with the Authentic God who calls you back Home.
He lifts your chin and graces your weary, bruised head
with the garland of beauty, the true, the right and the pure that He has called you to be—
your original design restored only through authentic surrender
to the authentic Lover of your soul.
John 8:31-32
So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32