If you’ve been around Christian circles long enough, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “God gives good gifts,” and I certainly would agree with that! But I think our perception of a gift is often based on our cultural norms: a beautifully wrapped package, often a bow on top, inviting and enticing!
What about when you get a gift that looks like this? Do you still think God gives good gifts?
Some gifts don’t come packaged beautifully. They lack the gorgeous wrapping, the bow, the sparkly tissue paper, or the overall presentation of beauty. They are not what we might consider “a gift” but rather, “something we got handed.”
Recently, I was handed “a gift” that looked more like the rock in the picture above. Anyone who knew about this “gift” would probably agree that, in the world of gifts, this was a dud, a rock.
So many times in life, there are no solid answers, except for, “But God….”
God can come into any situation and transform the dull, the ordinary, the “are you sure this is really a gift?” into something beautiful.
But - it takes work.
Sometimes the things that God wants to do in our lives can be painful. They may seem to stretch us to our limit to where we almost snap. Or they may cause us to feel hard-pressed, almost to the point of almost cracking. We may feel that our very soul is being chipped away at, bit by bit.
But, oh, sweet soul -
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. - II Corinthians 4:7-9
We don’t go through tough times simply because God has it out for us, or because He wants to see us struggle. No, He always has our best at heart.
That’s the difference between our limited perspective and His infinite perspective: He can see what we cannot. He knows why we need to go through the rough times - the pressing, the stretching, the chipping away.
That “gift” that we were handed, the one that really looks more like a rock…have you ever seen a geode? The picture above is the exterior of a geode. By only looking at the outside, we can pretty safely assume that it’s just a rock. Nothing special.
But when someone takes time to open up a geode, the ordinary-looking, dull, boring “gift” - well, the inside is just amazing!
Remember - what God does, He does well. The next time you’re given a gift that looks ordinary, or dull, or even ugly, take some time and consider that gift. Ask God what He wants you to do with that gift, and what His will is in giving you that gift.
You may even feel that your own life is nothing exciting - just dull, ordinary, not beautiful. But remember, God’s working on your heart - on those parts of you that He can shape and mold into something beautiful for His use.
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. - Job 23:10
Photo 1 Source
Photo 2 Source
You have such perfect God timing of posting this. Tears are running down my face right now, because you wrote this in His perfect timing. I have been handed a dud,ugly rock of a gift right now, wondering how God is going to be glorified, but you have allowed God to use your writing as a reassurance to me from Him. Thank you.
Crisi recently posted…Friday Without Words - Family
[Reply]
Rebekah Reply:
November 25th, 2013 at 8:33 am
Oh, Crisi - believe me when I tell you that I have been handed a dud, ugly rock of a gift, too. I’m writing from a place of *truly* knowing, understanding, and living these words in this post. Letting God do the work of making us beautiful on the inside is not easy. But to know that He created us for His purpose, and to be an example for Him, does help as we’re going through the process. A geode is most beautiful when it’s *broken* but not *destroyed* - same with us, yes? In case you need it, I can be reached by email at [email protected] (I believe it’s listed on the contact page). Feel free to be in touch - and please know that I am praying for you, and with you, and trusting that an all-knowing and all-wise God has both of our hearts in the palm of His hand! Thank you for sharing your heart with me - your words are a part of God redeeming my story, as He uses them to bless others.
[Reply]
Oh, you’re speaking my language here, girl. I love the way you share this metaphor. Keep up the rock-cracking, gift-seeking work!! <3
[Reply]
Rebekah Reply:
November 26th, 2013 at 7:58 pm
Thanks, Laurie! Brokenness - never a place I’d plant myself, but trusting that God uses the mess that it is to show something beautiful of what HE can do in me. <3
[Reply]