The Story of the Pearl
This story has been running through my head lately, so I decided I would share this inspiration. I know there are many of us going through a season of small irritations, may we allow the Lord to bring forth something as beautiful as pearl, as we yield to Him.
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The pearl develops when a foreign substance invades the oyster. This uninvited guest works its way into the muscle and irritates the oyster. In response, the irritation is covered with secretion. The longer the irritation is there, the more the oyster coats it. Once the oyster accepts the irritation as part of itself, the pearl begins to develop. Harsh conditions surrounding the oyster such as storms and hurricanes will not dislodge the pearl. As time goes by and the oyster is finally pulled up from the bed, where it has been for many years, it is opened to reveal a beautiful pearl. The once uninvited guest has now produced a hidden jewel of beauty. Each oyster's irritation produces a different variations of pearls, which shows how each of our own irritations
produce different results in our own lives.
As we each go through our journey, there will be different times that an "irritation" comes into our life. May we allow the Lord to turn irritations into a pearl that can be used by Him.
James 1: 2- 4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
oh, THAT'S why i have so many pearls! :)
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing this precious story
with me. it makes my beautiful pillow
just that much more special.
love,
lea
Hi Janette!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great connection!
I pray you have a zippy and peaceful day today, friend!
I loved this sweet friend. I knew this but never thought of it in this way. :) Hope you have a blessed day-we are all recovering from a stomach bug that has hit us all one at a time every day since Sunday-not fun but at least it has been Spring Break so we haven't had to miss out on our normal activities since they were all cancelled. Hoping we are all better by today so that we have a few days left to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteHugs-love ya
So true. How wonderful for those who know Jesus. We understand that trials will be used for good if we allow it. Those without him just see it as suffering to no avail. Hopeless.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting nervous that someone's going to want to pop me open... I've got quite a pearl going, layer upon layer...
Blessings, Debbie
Ahhhh... That's a neat image you selected. I must go google more. Thank you for the lesson today.
ReplyDeleteI did a similar pearl analogy once. Maybe I'll dig it up sometime, because you're so right, many of the things that irritate us are God's precious gifts to refine us. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteThis is always such a good reminder. Have a lovely day. Thanks for the darling card. I needed it and it was just like getting a hug, not to mention a laugh at the gal falling over in her lawn chair. It really could be me. :) You asked what I am doing in a Bible Study? It is Contentment by Lucy Swindoll. It is very easy and nice.
ReplyDeleteHey Janette, I am not sure this will help cause I'm not exactly sure what your problem because I cannot find the post--ha ha
ReplyDeleteBUT
if you will go into the "edit" mode and change the
posting date to today's date, everything should be fine--IF that is the problem.
Sometimes when I start posts on another date and then post them a week later, it post them to the date I started them.
I figure you know all this but just trying to help.
Be blessed,
Dianne
Wonderful Janette.
ReplyDeleteThe Lord knows just what he's doing, doesn't he?
I really appreciated your story today. thanks-Kimberly
Why don't we wear our pearls proudly instead of hiding them in a drawer.....Why don't we see them as gifts instead of as shame....Why don't we share them with others instead of claiming they don't exists....Why don't we trust God that He knows what He's doing in our lives....
ReplyDeleteYou really got me to thinking sweet girl....great post...
This was both REALLY interesting, and a wonderful analogy. I had no idea that pearls formed from irritations. Not sure what I thought they came from, but not that. Why is it that it is always soo hard to accept life's trials and tribulations when we are going through them, even when we KNOW at the end (if we belong to Him) that they really are intended for our good? That He DOES work everything together for our good? I am with Lea...no wonder I have sooo many pearls, haha. Thanks for the lesson...I thoroughly enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Janette! This speaks to me so. Seems like going thru menopause causes LOTS of irritations! LOL! Soon I'll have a necklace and matching earrings.:)
ReplyDeleteAmen.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
Amen... Amen... Amen!
(In my head, I sound a lot like Sidney Poitier.)
I love the story, and I have come to love that verse now more than ever. We just finished our Bible study on James, and it means more to me than it did before. James did so much more than say it. He lived it. We can live it too.
(And I just saw the nutty post below. Loved it too, but I told you that there. Could someone please stop the merry-go-round I call my life?)
What an awesome inspiration and I'm going to remember this as life's irratations come and go.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you and thanks for sharing!
I have quite a strand of pearls going on here
ReplyDeleteI have heard the story of the pearl before but with with all the little irritations that we have been experiencing the last couple of days it was just what I needed to read today
Blessings, Maryann
Thanks for the devotion~Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I've got several "irritations" going on right now. But praise God, I'm gonna receive a few more beautiful pearls!
ReplyDeleteHE IS FAITHFUL!
Sweet Blessings!
Jackie
Great post! I am experiencing some of those " irritations" in my own life. I know as time goes on, He will help to turn these into pearls...it will just be patience on my part.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these pearls of wisdom. :) Hope your day is great. Tammy
ReplyDeleteThat is so true. We may fuss about the intrusion but looking back we can always see the pearl. Patty
ReplyDeleteLove the book of James, beautiful analogy, Janette. I am now wondering what my pearl looks like, hopefully it will be one that brings glory to God, as you do in all your teachings.
ReplyDeleteI think of you and Benjamin so often, I am now just trying to get back into the loop of blogging. Vee once said the longer one stays away from blog land the easier it becomes to stay away.
Hope you are enjoying a restful day.
Give my love to Benjamin.
Sue
Ah, Janette - nothing like getting down to the *nitty gritty*!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great lesson to learn today. And I'm going to take it to heart. Been suffering through a lot of "irritations" lately - but now I'm realizing that God is just making pearls!
Love it.
GOD BLESS!
Oh, Janette! I'm printing out this one for my Grace and Humility journal I started last year. Those irritations have really been piling up. Don't know if I'm quite a pearl, but here's hoping! I just love your "sage" devotions!!!
ReplyDeleteJoy!
Kathy