My jewelry boxes are filled with all types of jewelry-- diamonds, costume jewelry, Tiffany, pearls, and anything in between. I have a few favorites, including a strand of real pearls with a gold clasped resting in a padded dark blue box gifted to me by husband many years ago.
 

Just the sight of the box brings a smile to my face. The smile not only comes from the fact that the pearls were given to me by my husband. The smile not only comes because I love pearls. The smile comes because of what pearls represent to me.

I often spend time looking back over my life. In times past that reflection caused me to cringe. But now, the more I reflect the less I cringe and the more I love who I am {in Christ Jesus}.

I no longer lament over trials because I learned (Philippians 4:11-13) the necessity of them.

Pearls are from trials. Envision this….

Unlike other gems, pearls are produced by a living organism, an oyster, as the result of an injury. Pearl Oysters live on the bottom of the ocean, where all the sand you want can be found... they are capable of getting rid of sand, bits and pieces of shell, corals, and little pebbles. The real reason behind the natural formation of a pearl lies behind a biological intruder: a parasitic organism. These may be drill worms, drill-mussels, or many other kinds of organisms. When a parasite drills through the shell of the pearl oyster, the oyster starts its defensive mechanisms and uses its MANTLE to form a barrier. The Mantle is a unique secretory organ that covers all the inside of the shell of the oyster and is responsible for the secretion of the pearly substance known as mother-of-pearl or nacre. The oyster will use its mantle to secrete nacre on top of these nasty intruders and out of pain and suffering, it forms an object of great beauty, a gem of great worth…the pearl!

In a similar way, spiritually, we are an irritant, a parasite due to our nature and sins (Romans 3:23-26). However, because God loves us, we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and gradually, we can become a thing of beauty and worth, clothed with the righteousness of Him who bought us (Romans 3:24-26; Ephesians 2:13).

Think about your story in relation to how a pearl is formed. In all the nastiness the pearl endured, it was covered until it was ready to be released and its’ beauty and worth revealed.

The same applies to us. In all our nastiness, we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. While covered God cleanses us and prepares us so our beauty and worth is revealed for His glory.

Now do you see why l love pearls so much..lol. That precious gem reminds me of how much God loves me.

The enemy wants us to look at our story and be sad about it. But think about your story this way. If you did not go through what you went through would you be the person you are today? Not just for self but to help someone else. Everything I went through had nothing to do with me. What I mean is, even the negative things I caused in my life I have been able to use those experiences to help someone else.

In times past I was reluctant to take a sequential look back over life shaping events or seasons in my life whether positive or negative. In my thinking it had all been such a jumbled mess. Too much pain and failure. Too much sin and defeat. Too many tears and regrets.

But the Holy Spirit once revealed to me: how often something wonderfully providential came next to something wildly painful. It was a reminder that goodness and mercy have indeed followed me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6).

Even when I did not realize it Gods’ providential hand was on my life.

I sometimes take a mental journey over my life and that timeline becomes a string attached to each journey and each journey becomes pearls. I learned to become grateful for the good and bad of my story.

I want to assure you, everything you have/are going through has a purpose and value.

Your story can help someone see God’s glory.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, grant me eyes to see that my life is not the sum of a thousand fragments. Allow me to see my life how You see my life. Give me strength to tell my story so that others will see You and Your glory. Help me recognize the pearls (the good and bad of my journey) have only made You more valuable to me. In Jesus Name, Amen

PEARLStoPONDER: Faith is the clasp on your string of pearls. Faith in Christ and His power to redeem your life will keep those pearls from getting lost.

Matthew 13:45-46-- ^“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Revelation 21:21-- ^The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.