Life Verse: Isaiah 61:3 - Beauty for Ashes

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.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

ISAIAH 61:3 

I have so many verses in the Bible that I go to, that have defined certain times in my life, but this one always grabs me. When I read it, if I think about it deeply enough, I'm almost always moved to tears. 

You want my testimony, uh, um... read this verse. 

In its context of Isaiah 61 and echoed in Jesus's reading of it in Luke 4:18-21, it always fills me with awe. Jesus says HE is the fulfillment of these words. Whoah. It's his mission to replace all of our negatives with the light of his grace.

Call it a chemical imbalance in my brain or call it a lack of faith, but mourning, feeling a spirit of heaviness has defined a huge part of who I am. Most of the time I fight it with all I have, but I don't always win. Obviously, I don't enjoy the state of being depressed. It is such a devastated wasteland. I can understand why people mourned in sackcloth and ashes back in the day. It's a perfect symbol of what is going on inside someone feeling that kind of emotion. 

But according to this verse, Jesus makes some kind of beauty out of these ashes. He replaces all that we have with all that He has, which is far better. Instead of mourning, there is joyous blessing. Festive praise - fun, joy, life, light - instead of despair. These contrasts have always proven true. I know the cycle is not over. I am not convinced that I will ever see depression completely eradicated from my life, but I am committed to returning and returning to the truth of the one who loves me.

I am encouraged by the image of our righteousness in Christ making us like great oaks that the LORD has planted. It is a work that He has done, conveying a steady continuance in the faith. It reminds me of Psalm 1, with the beautiful verse: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

That's the kind of abundant life I want to have.