June 29th
Is Their Value in Difficulties?
A friend of mine informed me that last night she had been robbed. Apparently a thief(s) broke into her home when she was spending the night with a friend. This dear lady (probably 94 years young) said to me, "They took all my jewelry. Only what I have on was spared."
Another person shows me their engagement ring. Wow, is it ever pretty. It really sparkled in the sunlight. All the facets and cuts added to its innner beauty.
There is obviously a difference between a gem (regardless of its nature, be it a dimond, ruby, opal, etc.) in the rough or one what is cut. The brillance is measurable. That same thing is seen with glass - where one is just cut glass in comparrison to molded glass. Again, the same thing with molding in one's house.
When my son-in-law Mike and his wife Robyn moved into their new home I commented on the molding around the closets. It was not plain, but had a little "ginger bread" on the cuts.
So in our life, my friend. Let's call it CHARACTER. The character of the gems, the character of the molding all required some effort on the jeweler or craftsman. The results were beautiful. So, in the shaping of our lives, God (the Master craftsman) allows certain things to happen. Since we are not inanimate objects we have a "will" we can refuse or object or balk.
God makes no mistake when He placed us amid - no let's rephrase it....when He placed YOU amid perplexities. The disturbances and delays of life are for our benefit. (Also, for the benefit of others as well.)
God means to bring out every sparkle of brilliancey of which your life is capable and like the diamond cutter, he does not hesitate to hold us to the wheel.
"We glory in tribulation..." (Romans 5:3)
These words of Paul enourage me in the difficulties through which I go. I don't like them, and I don't look for them but I do know that they are for MY benefit. Paul continues, "knowing that tribulation works patience, and patience experience; and experience hope, and hope makes not ashamed because it is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts."
My prayer for you!
Lord, bless this one through all of the "cutting and shaping" that comes into their life, to see the results. You make everything beautiful in your time.
Amen