Tag: doubt

The Angst of Beauty

Jennifred Jones

Most beauty was created because of ugliness.

Many of the artists whose work we love…creating masterpieces which bring us joy and happiness and amazement…created during a time of doubt, unhappiness, great depression, personal trial and disappointment…even sickness. It was the beauty they saw in their mind and began to create that caused them to survive their turmoils.

Could beauty be the solution to many of our problems? Are we caught in the fog of ugliness and despair – unable to see the beauty all around us?

The soft baby bunny, the early morning singing of birds, the silver pussy willows announcing spring, the laugh of a small child, the hug of a friend, the clear blue sky, the color of a rock in the rain, a warm cup of tea and a candle in the evening.

What do you see? Through the angst of life, can you still see beauty? Can you envision it? Can you somehow cause yourself to promote more beauty? Can you be the glistening raindrop on a barren dry soil? Can you be the smile while hiding your own tears to a weary soul? Can you see and envision hope for a better day, a better tomorrow when all you see and hear is ugliness and ruin?

What has broken your heart so you can no longer see a good future? Can you take the broken pieces and build something new, something stronger, something so beautiful that all the brokenness and ruin no longer is seen? All that remains is the work of beauty you created. That is the beauty others will see. And it will inspire them to see beauty through their own brokenness.

FREEDOM

Jennifred Jones

Today I was privileged to watch part of  the ceremony for Hungary’s National Day in Budapest. Hungary was founded August 20th 1000AD by St. Stephen. As they sang their national anthem the guardsmen slowly, reverently raised their flag up the tall gray pole. The rain was coming down steadily, but that stopped no one from joining in the celebration of their freedom. The band played and the people sang while the guards watched as the flag was unfurled. Umbrellas of every size and color dotted the crowds who watched from the grounds. The verdant grass contrasted its green life against the red, white and green color stripes of Hungary’s flag.

Freedom. What a privilege. What a responsibility.

As I thought about their freedom and the freedom sought in many lands around the world today that freedom is available to anyone, anywhere, anytime. God said, “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!”

Yes, we can have that freedom if we choose and if we cultivate it. Freedom begins not in a certain land or place; it begins first in our heart. It begins with a simple choice. “I believe.” Our greatest bondages are in our mind and Jesus came to free us of everyone of them—big or small. God said He would give us a new mind and a new heart when we come to Him, but now we must keep it renewed daily, sometimes minute by minute, as our greatest enemy, the devil, tries to take over our thoughts and bring us back into his bondage. Jesus gives us freedom no matter where we live and no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in. He is our great deliverer. This is our privilege in Christ.

It is also our responsibility, because we and we alone have control over our minds. God will not force us to think a certain way and the devil is constantly barraging our minds with thoughts of hate, anger, destruction, doubt, fear, guilt, inferiority, unworthiness, but God said we are to bring those thoughts to Him and cast them down. In other words, flatly refuse to think on them. Yes we do have a choice, to think on the bad and the negative, or to think on the good and the positive. We choose. God wants to help us. We tend to think we’re helpless and too far gone. No, that too is a lie. Jesus is there to help us and gives us His power to overcome those thoughts.

If we are free in our minds we can be free in our bodies. Freedom does begin first on the inside. I believe all men and women really do want to be free, but there is a cost. True freedom is found only in Jesus Christ, and He paid the cost that we couldn’t. All He says we need to do is believe and follow Him.

And His truth shall make you free!