BEAUTY FROM ASHES

My heart felt numb. I lay awake in bed, replaying the events that had taken place. Hard as I tried, I couldn’t go back to sleep. My mind was still trying to process everything that had just happened but at the same time, I kept trying to ignore my anguish and hurt. I didn’t want to accept the reality of things. “This can’t be real”, I thought to myself. I wanted to cry but somehow I couldn’t. I remember praying in a small whisper, “Lord, help my family and I accept that this trial is part of your will. Help us heal as a family.” And in that moment, I felt the Holy Spirit whisper “Selah”…

I was so confused. Selah? Doesn’t Selah mean praise? My heart was shattering into pieces, my throat was feeling constricted…and I was to give praise at that moment? I didn’t understand how I could possibly say words of praise when it seemed like all hope was lost for our family. Yet, in that moment as broken and hurt as I felt, I listened to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. In the midst of the pain, I felt my heart raise a hallelujah. I praised God for the faithfulness He was showing my family. I praised Him even though I couldn’t understand the direction of His plans for us. I praised Him for allowing us to walk this valley with Him by our side. And in those few minutes of praising God, I felt an indescribable peace overcome my anguish.

“I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah” Psa 3:4

Over the next few weeks, I began to study the meaning behind the Hebrew word Selah. Unfortunately, there are so many translations due to uncertain meanings. But there were two explanations that caught my attention: Selah could indicate a pause in a Scripture text or “to raise voices in praise”.

God was teaching me to choose praise over protest. Praising God for our difficulties is surrendering all that anguish and pain to Him, allowing His joy to flow in our hearts. The joy we find in thanking God becomes the strength we need to overcome those hard moments. As I continued to praise God every day for this situation, I began to experience a change of heart. I no longer saw the pain and hurt but I began to see an opportunity for our family to experience God’s grace in carrying the cross.

As we find ourselves walking through a lonely valley, let us raise a hallelujah before our God, for His mercies have not failed us. It is in praising Him that we can find healing for our hearts as we surrender our pain before God.

L E T

U S

P R A I S E

#surrender #praise #gratitude #healing #strength #joy

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