A rock collector named Rob once went on a dig and found a rock he described at "purdy and big." He tried unsuccessfully to sell it, and when that failed, he kept the rock in his closet in the dark.
Rob guessed the blue chunk of rock could bring as much as $500, but he would have taken less if something urgent came up like paying his power bill. That's how close he came to selling for a few hundred dollars what turned out to be the largest, most valuable sapphire ever found. The blue rock that Rob Cutshaw had abandoned to the darkness of a closet two decades ago--now known as "The Star of David" sapphire--weighs nearly a pound, and could easily sell for $2.75 million.
How many of us have a treasure hidden in the darkness of our lives, unaware of its immense value? God wants nothing more than for you and me to have full access to all the blessings and rewards He's already laid aside for us to have.
It's easy to live life unaware that God has set aside this treasure to have. I can often live in desperation, wondering when I'm going to get a break, questioning when God's going to finally come through-----.
God has called you to a mighty work as well. The hardships we face can be distracting, even paralyzing sometimes. But God wants to know whether our focus is on Him or on our hardships. When we stay diligent with what He's given us, God will fill us to overflowing..with even more down the road.
Consider this example. If you wanted to purchase a particular amount of rice, the person behind the counter would pour that rice into a measuring pot or scale of some kind. But they would not fill it to the precise measure straight away; they would only go three quarters of the way up and then shake the pot and press on the rice. The reason for shaking is to both level out the rice and fill in any gaps that formed underneath. In other words, because of the shaking and the pressing, you get more rice.
That's what God can do in the midst of your trouble; He lets life press down so He can "fill in the gaps." II Corinthians 4:8 reads, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing." Most often, it's life's darkness that God prepares us for His best.
Lord, I ask You to give me Your peace, so I might weather the storms and relax in dark times, knowing You are with me. Fill me with a greater measure of Your courage, that I might stand boldly against the enemy's attacks. Finally, I ask for patience as I wait for Your great treasures, both here and in the life to come. In Jesus' Name, Amen
Truth for Today: Isaiah 33:6, "And He will be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge: The fear of the Lord is his treasure." (NASB)
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