Apples of Gold

On occassion, my grandmother would make an amazing boiled dinner. It was filled with melt in your mouth veggies and tasty meat. The secret to the texture and flavor was in the method of preparation. This meal was prepared in a pressure cooker. The whole house was filled with the aroma of the impending feast as the steam was released while it was cooking. 

Pressure is something that many of us try to avoid, or at least limit when possible. When I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s a couple of years ago I learned that stress was a big trigger and unsuccessfully attempted to mitigate “unnecessary stress”. My efforts were an abysmal failure as rather than decreasing, I found myself surrounded by challenging situations. I was left wondering just how I was supposed to avoid unavoidable pressure. 

I realize I am far from alone in this plight. Some are dealing with far greater tribulations than I face. For followers of Jesus struggles should not be unexpected. 

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:6-7

There is no shortcut on the path to maturity. Those who have attempted to by-pass the process of refinement often find themselves devastated by the whirlwind of their own rapid rise to success. Those unfortunate enough to be in the path often find themselves becoming collateral damage. 

During times of discouragement and disillusionment our faith is bolstered by reminding ourselves that Jesus has got everything under control.

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:33

The God who delights in every detail of our lives, (Psalm 37:23) and collects each of our tears, (Psalm 56:8) has a purpose for each and every trial we walk through. 

Sometimes we see the divine purpose while navigating our struggles but more often it is only when we look back from a distance that we put things together. 

Some of the most beautiful and valuable treasures on our planet are formed in the pressure cooker. 

The slow transformation of carbon from an uninteresting dark lump into a diamond could not be achieved without massive volumes of both heat and pressure. In fact, a diamond emerges as a rough, uncut, cloudy, greasy pebble. It is only with precise cutting and polishing that the sparkly gem appears. 

Pearls begin as an irritant that sneaks inside an oyster shell. The oyster coats the irritant with layer after layer of nacre, eventually forming the sought after jewel. 

The parallels to reality are glaringly obvious here. How often does that irritant in our lives serve as the catalyst for something life changing? 

If we walked in on Michaelangelo half-way through one of his sculptures we would be unable to catch his vision and recognize the form he was making.

Artists go through a sequential process when working with stone. First they use a heavy steel hammer and point chisel to chip away unwanted chunks of stone. Next they work with a claw chisel to smooth out rough ridges left by the initial process and a flat chisel to create more definition. Finally they use rasps and rifflers to contour and remove scratches, followed by sandpaper and sometimes polish. 

The things you are facing today are shaping you into the person God designed you to be. Like an artist taking chisel to stone, God sees the final product and he knows each and every spot that must be cut off, carved or smoothed in order to achieve his purpose. 

God’s process is also sequential. His process might seem random and his goal might be indistinguishable at the beginning. As he tackles our rough edges we might chaff at the pressure he is using to transform us into his likeness. If sandpaper has ever marred your skin you likely wince at the thought of this step. The scratches on our hearts are often deep and smoothing them out is arduous and painful. 

The sculptor is not working recklessly. He is meticulously guiding the chisel to just the right spot at just the right time. 

For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Our context is rooted in this temporary life in a trouble-filled world. We tend to be consumed with the now, often to the neglect of the future. In the middle of our struggle we often cry out for it to end immediately without considering the potential purpose for its existence.

God has not forgotten you. He is not punishing you. He is changing you. We must trust him with the chisel.

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 2 Corinthians 4:17