Pounded
and Polished
In all this you greatly rejoice, though
now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds
of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your
faith.
1Peter 1:6, 7
I was taken with the beauty of the
coastline along California Highway 101, specifically the rocky
outcroppings that towered above the Pacific Ocean. The stretch of
road I was traveling followed the west coast of San Francisco
Peninsula, passing by the Año Nuevo State Reserve
and the historic Pigeon Point Lighthouse. I was in
some beautiful country to say the least.
Just north of the San Francisco area,
near Goat Rock and the point at which the Napa Valley spills into the
sea, I stopped and got out. I was struck by how rugged the coastline
was. Rocks of varying sizes and shapes protruded from the ocean,
marking this as a dangerous area for watercraft if you didn’t know
the shoreline. Seals bobbed on the waves, watching as
I walked along the shore.
There was no mistaking the high-water
mark. Year after year the waves pounded upon the rock, wearing away
its sharp edges. There was a beauty in the grain and texture of the
polished rock that was not evident higher up the cliffs. It was, to
say the least, quite stunning; the contrast remarkable. One looked
smooth and refined, the other harsh and treacherous. The power
released as the surf pounded against the rocks was awesome! The
pounding waves had polished and removed the rough exterior, revealing
the beauty within.
†
Like the beauty of those rocks after
the waves pounded and polished them for millennia is our spirit
following years of great trials and grief. Much desired is the end
result.
Yet understandably, most of us want the
wise spirit without enduring the hardships that carve and shape such
results. To expect great wisdom by any other means is idealistic. No
one enjoys the pounding, but few, if any, would trade the experience
for anything we have to offer.
Rejoice in such trials, and give God
praise for holding you in the storms that produce a genuine faith
that the world can easily see.
Prayer
“Lord, as You polish me
give me the strength and grace to give You praise. In Jesus’ Name,
amen.”
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