looking for pearls

Yesterday, I read a great post here about "hindsight". It reminded of something I heard a long time ago. We all know that God is good and that He promises that His plans for us are good, but when adversity comes, sometimes we start to lose sight of that. We begin to question why we are having to go through this hard thing. So, the teaching I remembered was that we should "look for the pearl" when we are in the middle of something difficult, painful, life changing. We should ask God to show us the good thing....... how this brings honor to Him and how it makes us more like Him. Jesus was the "pearl of great price". His crucifixion was a awful thing, but the "pearl "was that it was God's plan for our redemption. His death was a terrible thing, but the "pearl" was the resurrection! When He left his disciples, that was a sad thing, but the "pearl"was the Holy Spirit who came to live in us to be our comforter and our guide. He may choose to show us when we ask or He may wait until sometime in the future. But, if our heart is focused on "looking for the pearl", then adversity will lead us to gratefulness and gratefulness will lead us to worship.

"Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God....my Savior and my God!"Ps.42:11