During a recent trip to an Orlando theme park, I found my head turned by a display case full of beautiful pearl jewelry. I had seen this display before on previous trips, but today was different—I was there with my husband, celebrating our anniversary. The astute clerk saw me gazing at the different pearls, and struck up a conversation in which she described how those pearls were created: The oysters from this company’s farm were actually “forced” to make pearls, by being implanted with a small, seed-like irritant that would cause the oyster to begin the pearl-making process. As the oyster tries to rid itself of the implant, it secretes a substance called nacre, which covers the implant layer by layer. It takes a few years, but eventually, a pearl is formed. No one knows, until the oyster is opened, what color or size the pearl will be. She said the most common colored pearls are white and off-white, and the rarest are blue and black. So my husband, in honor of our anniversary, purchased an oyster from a bucket on the counter, and I anxiously watched as the clerk opened the shell…

I have to stop the story there for right now. Because this story is not about a piece of jewelry—it’s about you and me. All of us. You see, we are the oyster. We are the ones in whom God is creating something beautiful out of trial, pain, and discomfort. We may have been quietly existing, living according to life’s tide, when all of a sudden we find ourselves in a situation that we didn’t anticipate, don’t understand, and definitely don’t appreciate. We can’t find a way out of our problem, and God doesn’t seem to be inclined to remove it any time soon. So we have a choice—sit and suffer in our mess, allowing it to get the best of us with the worst results, or…we can allow God to help us make a pearl.

When we are faced with a difficulty in our lives, there is a process which is guaranteed to bring about godly results in our spiritual lives. Much like the oyster puts layers of nacre on the irritant, God’s word shows us how to make something beautiful out of our trial. It’s not easy, but if we will trust in His wisdom, He will give us a way to sustain the pain, and create in us a living testimony that will bring Him honor and glory.

Our first responsibility is to GIVE THANKS. God’s word is very clear—we are to give thanks at all times, for all things (I Thess. 5:18). When we thank God for our problem, we are acknowledging His greatness and providence. This means that we recognize that no matter what, God is in control. He allowed the problem for a reason, and He will use it for our good (I Peter 1:6-7, Rom. 8:28). Giving God thanks actually takes the burden off of our shoulders and puts it back in His hands, knowing that He is fully able to give us what we need, no matter what we are facing (Ps. 37:5, Phil. 4:4,6-7,19).

The next step is to BE CONTENT. This is more than just being thankful. Contentment is accepting where God has you, and choosing to make the best of it by the power of His Spirit, through patience and longsuffering (Phil. 4:11-13, Col. 1:11). When we choose contentment, we stop striving for God to change our circumstances, and instead allow God to begin to change us (Rom. 5:3-5, James 1:2-4). Contentment acknowledges that the very presence of Jesus Christ in our lives is enough to satisfy us (Heb. 13:5). We stop looking around for what we think we need, whether it be comfort, relief, or satisfaction, and instead we find the peace and power that comes from abiding in Him, allowing Him to work through us and in us, and producing fruit we never could have on our own (John 15:4-5).

While thanksgiving and contentment can happen internally, the next two steps are done externally. Step three is to OFFER THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE. When we praise God, we put our focus on Him, not our trial. We must choose to praise Him because He is worthy—not because of what He does or doesn’t do for us, but simply for who He is (Ps. 92:1, 105:1-2, 149:1-5, 150:1-6). Praise affirms our thankfulness and contentment, yet acknowledges that God is able to deliver us if He wills it (Ps. 50:23). If you’ve ever determined to have a heart and mouth full of praise, instead of complaints about your circumstances, then you know why it’s called a sacrifice (Heb. 13:15). It’s not easy, but it’s so worth it when we remember that God inhabits (dwells in) the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). We are encouraged, and we encourage others, when we praise God continually and despite our troubles (Ps. 34:1, Eph. 5:19).

Step four is more of a marathon than a single step; it’s LIVE OBEDIENTLY. Trials show us what we’re made of. If we fall apart under pressure, then we show how little spiritual strength we really have (Pr. 24:10). If we’re constantly frustrated, then our patience hasn’t been perfected (James 1:4). If we find ourselves swayed towards worldly comfort, then our flesh is in control (Matt. 26:41). But if we will trust in God with all our hearts, and not depend on our own understanding of our situation, then He will show us the way we need to go (Prov. 3:5-6). If we will run the race before us with endurance, we will see Jesus (Heb. 12:1-2). If we will seek His righteousness and His will above our own, we know that He will provide all our needs according to His riches in glory (Matt. 6:33). And if we will rejoice in the trial, knowing that it was ordained by God to refine our faith into something precious, then we will have the privilege of giving praise, honor, and glory as Christ Jesus Himself is revealed in, to, and through us, and we will be saved (I Peter 1:6-9). We will, by God’s grace, make a pearl.

So back to my story…The clerk opened the shell, describing each piece of the oyster. She explained that my husband was right to pick the ugliest one (which he did), because the more difficult the oyster’s life, the more beautiful the pearl. She showed us the parts of the oyster, how it spends its life literally with its tiny foot in its mouth (just like we do). And finally, she lifted the muscle to reveal a large, rare blue pearl, which only six per cent of all oysters produce. My husband had it set in a heart pendant for me to wear, and it represents the work, trials, and faith it takes to have a successful, godly marriage. My pearl is precious to me, just as my marriage is precious to me. Just as we are precious to Jesus.

We are His pearl.

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