PROMISE #170 - JUNE 19

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

Isaiah 61 is full of wonderful promises from God that were fulfilled when Jesus came into the world 2,000 years ago. Verse 3 alone contains at least four promises! But in this devotional, I will focus on the promise where God says that He will give us a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

We all become discouraged and sometimes despair. It's part of the human condition, and some of us have a harder time with it than others. I am thankful that modern medicine has helped us understand a little better the complexities of depression. God provides us wisdom, and with that wisdom, there are many effective medical solutions to these problems. If we are being treated for such a condition, we must be wise and continue to follow our doctor's advice.

But what about those times in life when a fearful or discouraging thought weighs us down and makes us feel heavy and burdened? What can we do to combat these destructive thoughts that are from the enemy of our soul? In our promise today, we read that God will give us a garment of praise for our spirit of heaviness.

I don’t know about you, but when I take my eyes off my situation and start praising God, I seem to get a new perspective on things. Suddenly I’m looking up, and my perspective shifts from looking inward to looking up. Today my prayer is that we all may see the greatness and splendor of our God and Father. I pray that we all receive a supernatural view from heaven itself and that God would clothe us with a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for covering me with a garment of praise when the circumstances of my life are too heavy to carry alone. Help me lift my eyes up in these times when I feel surrounded by problems that cause me to despair. For I know my hope is in You and my future is safe in Your loving hands.

I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.