Have you ever felt like you're standing in the middle of a demolished house, surrounded by broken bricks and scattered debris? It’s as if everything familiar has fallen apart, leaving you questioning if rebuilding is even possible. That’s exactly where I found myself this past year—standing in the midst of what feels like ruins. So much has been lost, and hope has felt deferred. I’ve looked at this mess and thought, What’s the point of even picking up one brick? Why risk hoping again, only to see everything fall apart?
And yet, there’s a promise.
Isaiah 58:12 speaks to those who dare to rebuild: “Some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will restore the foundations laid long ago; you will be called the repairer of broken walls, the restorer of streets where people live.”
This verse reminds me that, even in the rubble, God can bring restoration. There’s a spark of hope, even in the hardest rebuild.
In the middle of my pain and questions, my foundation—Jesus—has stayed solid. I’ve been praying, reading my Bible, and spending time with Him, even when everything else seemed to be crumbling. But here’s where I feel stuck. Despite this foundation and despite knowing God’s promises, I still find myself standing in the ruins, wondering how to move forward. How do I break this cycle of starting to build, only to fear it all crashing down again?
I have to show up, despite how I feel. If I stay in these ruins, I’ll never be renewed; I’ll never see Romans 8:28 play out in my life:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
It’s hard, and it hurts, but Proverbs 13:12 reminds me,
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.”
My heart may feel sick right now, but that verse promises that desire—the hope—will come again.
So, I have to pick up the broken bricks of defeat and discouragement and start rebuilding. Jesus is my foundation, and He holds my story. Every day, I show up to Him, look to Him for the blueprint of this new castle I’m rebuilding, and take steps to stack one brick after another.
Sometimes, in the thick of deferred hope, it’s hard to see what I’m building. But I have to trust the Architect. If I keep my eyes on Jesus, I can trust the process, knowing that He’s guiding every step.
As I rebuild, Ezekiel 36 and 37 remind me that I need a new heart and that I need to speak life into my hopelessness. I must show up with a soft heart, open and receptive to the Holy Spirit’s work within me. Over time, I know that my heart of stone—this hardened hopelessness—will be restored. God promises,
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Ezekiel 37 calls me to prophesy to the dry bones, reminding me to speak life and hope into my situation.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).
If I want to see renewal, I must speak life and believe that God can bring restoration to even the driest, most hopeless places.
When the path feels overwhelming, I have to hold onto His promises, knowing that He is the source of my strength and hope. Rebuilding isn’t something I have to do alone; God’s Spirit is with me, renewing my heart and guiding my steps.
And just as God strengthened His people in their times of struggle, I lean on His words in 2 Chronicles 28:20:
“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
This promise encourages me to keep going, brick by brick, trusting that God is faithful to bring beauty from these ashes.
So, I will rebuild this castle and rise as a renewed princess—because I am a daughter of the King of Kings. My part is to show up; His part is to redeem and restore.
Amen!!!