Pearls

I was reminded this morning of the drudgery of long, exhausting trials and how fear, doubt and discouragement seep into every nook and cranny of our spirit.  Our souls cry out in desperation, "When will this season end? When will the weight of this challenge be lifted from my heart?" The stagnant "sameness" of each day can make one grow weary  on even the brightest of days. As I reflected on these thoughts today, my mind turned towards the humble oyster. When an irritant, such as a grain of sand enters the inner part of the oyster, the mollusk immediately begins coating it with a substance called nacre, a silky material that hardens over time.  If the oyster happens to live in salt water it can take as long as 20 years to form something beautiful that we call a pearl.  Perhaps your struggle today can be likened to that irritant. Perhaps you can accept that it has been specifically designed by God to grow something beautiful inside you. A treasure. A valuable gem. Perhaps the silky substance you have in you to coat the struggle that you face, is an ongoing stream of thanksgiving and prayer to God. And as you surrender to the process, His wonder and majesty reveal the splendor of the finished work within you. I believe wisdom is often gained through experience and hardship. Have you ever wondered why, we have the phrase "pearls of wisdom"?