“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18
Just the other day, I was in the car having a life talk with one of my aunts when she said something that brought me immediate peace. Lately, I had been battling a state of serious confusion and sadness, and I remember telling her, “Why does it seem that God puts me through trial after trial. I feel like the moment I overcome one battle, I am quickly tossed into another one.” Yes, I admit I was throwing a little pity party, but my heart was aching for some answer, comfort, peace, anything. Nancy, being a cancer survivor, has been through her fair share of this world’s deepest, darkest pain, and I hoped she could bring me comfort.
She told me, “God is polishing you into a more beautiful diamond.” I admit I was taking back by this response, but then she further explained. She asked me, “Lindsey do you know the process of what makes a diamond sparkle?”
Well I knew that diamonds are the sturdiest gem there is, (right?) and then she reminded me that in order to make a diamond, it goes through an intense process of pounding.
Diamonds are made under extreme temperature and pressure. In fact, the temperature has to be somewhere around 1700 and 2400 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pressure has to be around 650,000-870,000 pounds per square inch. Not to mention that all this takes place somewhere between 90 and 120 miles beneath the Earth’s surface.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4
Before a diamond is a diamond, it starts in a state of carbon. Hey, us humans are carbon-based, too!
A diamond is first mined; it is pursued, and desired to be extracted. God is on a relentless pursuit for us. He individually craves a relationship with his diamonds, and wants us to sparkle wherever life takes us. However, to get that shine, it takes some work.
“Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.” Psalm 23:6a (The Message)
Then it is cut to perfection, and polished beautifully. God is working in us to make us more perfect in His image. The diamond itself is not beautiful, for it is only beautiful because of the craftsman. To be honest, the cutting of the diamond can be a horrific process. Here, faith is vital.
We must have faith that the hands cutting the diamond have an eye that can see beyond our present state, because it is His masterpiece, and He can see the final jewel when we simply cannot.
In order to be polished beautifully, the cutting process must be done. The stresses and temptations we face daily are crucial to ourselves becoming polished. 
I don’t have all the answers, but I know with certainty that every single person, especially those who have agreed to be “mined” by God, faces trials of various kinds.
But don’t let the cutting process be the final chapter. Wait patiently to be polished by God. We are called to sparkle, we are called to shine, and we are called to be beautiful diamonds.
If you are facing a trial of any kind, know that God is just polishing you into a more beautiful diamond. Hold on to the faith. Hold on to the hope. Hold on that God’s plan for you, is far grander that your plan for you.
To all my fellow gems, shine bright like a diamond, and don’t ever let anyone dull your sparkle.
XOXO,
Linds
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
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