Thank You For The Hard Times.

Definitely there are more positive things to be grateful about! I could write you all the verses that speak of rejoicing, and being thankful in hard times. Yet, I won't do that, at least not today, let me talk in simpler terms.

"Clay does not become fine pottery,
Unless subjected to the pressure from
the hands of the Potter
and heat from a burning furnace
at 1300°c"

I know that is too much heat, pressure and time, but it is necessary, and the clay never complains. The clay is happy to comply, joyful in the furnace, because Clay has Faith that it will become one of the most beautiful pieces, in the most majestic of palaces.

Gold is refined by Fire
"Refining companies receive doré bars, as well as scrap gold, and reliquefy the metal in a furnace. Workers add borax and soda ash to the molten metal, which separates the pure gold from other precious and less precious metals."

Diamonds become diamonds in so much heat and pressure over a long period of time in the deepest of the earth's crust.
¤ Heat
¤ Pressure
¤ Time

"Most natural diamonds are formed at high temperature and pressure at depths of 140 to 190 kilometers (87 to 118 mi) in the Earth's mantle. Carbon-containing minerals provide the carbon source, and the growth occurs over very long periods of time".

So yes, today, I am unexplainably grateful for the hard times, for I know they transform me from a mere carbon gas to a precious Diamond. Hard times transform me to be the greatest.

I have HOPE and FAITH, for without these two, hard times remain just that, hard times! They become times made to destroy you. But with these, they become times to transform you into the greatest possible You.

I have a vision of where I am going. My heart fails me not. For today, today I am grateful for all the hard times, past, present and those to come.

Someone asked me if I like stress. And yes, I do like stress. Not the stress that I cause myself, I never cause me unnecessary trouble. On the contrary I love the stress that Life throws at me. Life is hard and that is one of the best parts about it.

Prayer:
Father this particular Thursday. I give thanks to You for every trial in my life. Lord I praise You for them, Father I glorify You. I thank you for every trial big and small for they are all changing me into your likeness.  Increase them and increase my victories, may You empower me to win in each and every one of them, for You already won and I am fighting from victory.  I thank you and I bless you. May I be victorious for Your glory.
In Jesus mighty name I pray.
Amen

So what are you grateful about today?
Don't forget to add that to your gratitude box!