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Because I want what is best for my children, I can understand that my heavenly Father wants what is best for me. I have three children, who each have children of their own. They love their children and are guiding and nurturing them to love the Lord. I am blessed by them every day, even if they don’t live close to us. I delight in their successes and their victories. But… I also feel their hurts and their pains as they face difficulties and go through the valleys of life. To remove those would be to deprive them the opportunity to learn life’s lessons for themselves. Certainly it would be easier to leave difficult situations than to stay and grow in grace through them.
Yet, growing in grace is the purpose and plan of God our lives. “He gives only the best to those who leave the choice with Him,” I once read. When we know that God is on our side, we can face anything and everything. This I know, that God is for me. I rest on that promise. God wants only the best; He wants Christ to be formed in my children. That, too, is what I as a mother want for them.
That reminds me that pearls are made in a wonderful and fascinating way. The oyster literally takes the grain of sand that causes it irritation and pain and wraps it in layer after layer of mother of pearl. Instead of trying to escape the pain, it works with it until a pearl is produced. That worthless piece of sand has been the catalyst for growing a precious gem that has great value.
God gives each of us opportunities to take the people and circumstances in life that irritate us and cover them with layers of grace, layers of patience, layers of faith, layers of loyalty, layers of compassion, and layers of love. This type of work does not just happen instantly. It is a long and arduous work; but it will ultimately, perhaps years down the road, produce in us only the best. The irritant may still be an irritant, but it will have produced something beautiful and of everlasting value in our own character. Let’s seek His face until He be seen in ours.
23 comments:
I like your comparison of our relationship with our kids and our desires for them to Gods desires for us. The pearl is a good reminder!
What a wonderful explanation! I love the analogy of the layers.
Karin, you share thoughts I have pondered myself over the years... about covering with layers of grace, compassion, love, etc.
A beautiful posting!
A very encouraging post - especially given that our culture celebrates doing what "feels" good rather than what "produces" good.
“'He gives only the best to those who leave the choice with Him,' I once read." I love that thought!
I agree completely, Karin.
Blessings to you and your entire family.
Thank-you. God is still working on me and for that I am thankful.
Beautiful, wise and encouraging words, Karin! So needed! I hope you won't mind that I pass this on to our ladies' prayer group, and I certainly will give you credit for writing it. It's just too good not to pass on. God bless you!
Such a beautiful object lesson of how the trying of our faith works patience. The same God who created the oyster with the ability to deal with its pain also provides a means for us to do the same. What an awesome Sovereign of the universe!
WOW, that's exactly what I needed to hear...that's been on my mind so much as I sat and listened to the hurts of one of my children, late into the evening hours. And yet he said, "God promises us that he will not give us more than we can handle, and that he will be with us forever." That warms my heart as I see him work through his future.
how many time i do not do what i want to do but do what i dont want to do
So much we don't know or see in another persons life. I am so working on extending grace better. To learn to love as He loves...a good goal. Because no matter how messy we are He does see us as that beautiful pearl. Sweet abiding Karin!
Oh Karin...
Your words are spoken so beautufully here..I do love the illustration of the pearl...I must admit that when our kids have difficulties, I try to rush in to see how we can fix it, but you are so right....we need to let them grow!
Thank you so much for this beautiful message..
Hugs,
shug
It is so hard to watch our kids go through hard times, but what a way to think about God's work in them!
Great object lesson. Thank you for the beautiful way you illustrate God's truths.
Very well said! I too will print this and share it with my family. Thanks for a good reminder.
Karin, this is so wise and a powerful message and reminder for all of us, esp. parents! I have once again being changed for the better, through difficulties and trials with both my own life and the lives of each of my 3 sons. After so much of these times in the last 6 years, I not only see this, but actually welcome these because I know God is working in each of our lives and at least trying to 'create pearls', make us the persons we are meant to be and give us the lives that will be the best and happiest for us. :-)
You are such a wonderful teacher of God and his wisdom, Karin! Thank you for sharing your insight and Gifts with us!!
Many Hugs & Blessings,
~Coreen XO
What a wise and thought provoking post, Karin. I am guilty of wanting to take all the hurt away from my grown children, but I know deep in my heart this is not the way to live life.
I love your pearl analogy. I will think about it some more.
Thank you
I love how you describe those layers covering the irritating circumstance... and making something beautiful.
It is not easy, but something I want to remember.
Thanks for a wonderful message. You've given me much to think about.
I like that photo! Its beautiful to see a pearl inside an actual oyster!
xx
Sometimes it takes peelin' allot of layers before we uncover the 'pearl'.
Thanks so much for the great read today.
God bless and have a terrific Thursday sweetie!!!! :o)
children are gifts of God, and you are blessed.
What a dear analogy. I love my son with all my heart, and it truly makes me feel good to think that Our Father loves us the same way.
Thanks for the reflection, Karin.
Doris
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