A POLISHED DIAMOND
The genuineness of your faith …
may be found to praise, honor, and glory.
The abrasive experiences we encounter each day help to prepare us for heaven. God uses all of life’s troubles polish and perfect our character. The heavenly Father is working through our trials so that we will one-day shine with splendor before Him.
In the rough, a diamond looks like a common pebble, but after it is cut, its hidden beauty begins to emerge. The stone then undergoes a finishing process to bring out its full radiance. A skilled craftsman holds the gem against the surface of a large grinding wheel. No other substance is hard enough to polish the stone, so the wheel is covered with diamond dust. It’s a time consuming process. This is similar to the way God works with us. The procedure is not pleasant, nor is it intended to be. The Divine Workman, however, has our final glory in view. We may be "grieved by various trials," as Peter said (Verse 6), but when we understand what is behind them we can rejoice even in adversity. God has one goal in mind during the refining process: that our faith "may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Knowing this enables us to look beyond the unpleasantness of "polishing" to see the outcome.
In each trial God would prove you, He would bring you forth more bright, but He’ll never cease to love you—You are precious in His sight.
A GEM CANNOT BE POLISHED WITHOUT FRICTION,