Graves Into Gardens

“I'm not afraid to show You my weakness, my failures and flaws

Lord, You've seen 'em all and You still call me friend…”

- Elevation worship

I love the song “Graves into Gardens,” and find it a type of anthem for my life. For many years, I was afraid to show God my weakness, failures and flaws (as if He couldn’t see them already). I just wanted to be “good enough,” and that meant perfection. I didn’t believe I was worthy of love by God or anyone else.

I knew all the “Christianese,” and did my best to look like my definition of a “perfect” Christian. I was obsessed with the idol of approval of others. As the song says,

I searched the world but it couldn't fill me

Man's empty praise and treasures that fade are never enough.

I was exhausted and filled with doubt. If this constant drive to be the perfect daughter, wife, and mother by the world’s standards only to fail again and again was all there was to this life, it wasn’t worth living. I was filled with shame. My heart was broken and I felt like everything inside of me was dead.

Friends, I had been a Christian for over 20 years, but it wasn’t until, through the desperation of my prayers and the prayers of others that I began to feel the love of Jesus in a way I never had. For the first time, I understood and believed that my identity was not in the idol of approval, but through the love and grace of Jesus, just as I am!

Colossians 3:1-2 says:

Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Friends, I don’t know what idols are in your life today, but I do know that when we begin to set our hearts on things above, transformation occurs. God has a purpose, promise and plan for your life. Set your mind and your heart on Jesus. That’s when He turns graves into gardens.

You turn mourning to dancing, You give beauty for ashes

You turn shame into glory, You're the only one who can

You turn mourning to dancing, You give beauty for ashes

You turn shame into glory, You're the only one who can.

You turn graves into gardens, You turn bones into armies

You turn seas into highways, You're the only one who can

You're the only one who can!

Jesus wants us to be free, and that only happens when we give up our striving and instead live for the approval of One. Then, and only then can we say:

Oh, there's nothing better than You

There's nothing better than You

Lord, there's nothing

Nothing is better than You!

Pastor Pam

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