At the Coast Guard base on Kodiak Island, Alaska, there’s a fun spot known as Jewel Beach. For years people have been going to this beach to collect what adults call sea glass. Kids, however, know the truth; these are “jewels.”
These treasures started out as junk. Some were simply pieces of glass from trash in the water; some were shards of glass that were dragged into the ocean by a tsunami in 1964. No matter how the glass got there, these shards were tumbled around in the water. Sometimes they were battered by the waves and ocean storms; other times they got dragged back and forth along the rocks as the tide came in and out.
After years of being tossed and tumbled and banged up, the glass pieces ended up smooth and frosted, looking like jewels.
Paul, who actually suffered from beatings because of his faith in Jesus, let the people who lived in Rome know this: “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 NIV).
We might think that hard times in our lives are all bad. But we each have bad habits and personal sins that are ragged in our lives. When God allows you to suffer, he smooths out those rough edges—he makes you more kind, faithful, compassionate, and courageous. He uses the rough times in your life to turn you into a jewel.
Chomp on this!
What stuff in your life has made you feel like you were being tossed around in the waves?
How did God use that to smooth your rough edges?
