The Tribune

By AYANNA CLARKE

Somehow reading TD Jakes’ “Crushing” has me waxing retrospective. No small feat, I’ve taken a mental step back into times I’d prefer to forget. My assignment – rehash the pain of each experience, and intentionally try to see the good in it all. My final ideals, simple and universal:

1. Sometimes experiences we prefer to forget are really tools in the hand of God, shaping us for times to come.

2. Each struggle faced can somehow be used by God for His Greater Glory.

3. Reaching destiny will always be tied to our outlook and obedience during times of crushing.

I do admire Jakes’ keen ability to coin a phrase that catches our attention with its brief lyricism, while simultaneously conveying a revelation of a deeper concept.

One such phrase is “A pearl of great price is our pain wrapped in God’s perfection!” In my estimation, Jakes’ is suggesting several things all at once:

1 2 3

We will experience pain.

Our pain can be turned into something beautiful and lasting.

This can only happen if we allow the handiwork of God and His Providence to take precedence over our limited emotions at the time.

I’m not suggesting that we don’t feel anything. But even in the emotional turmoil, allow yourself the understanding that there is a larger process at work, something grander happening, a greater plan unfolding. There was a time when I had to experience this truth for myself.

Picture this. An auditorium is filled with people, a mic is handed to me and just before I step out, someone leans over and whispers “Ok. Keep this short, you don’t have to do all that singing and stuff you do. I don’t want to be here all day!” They said this loud enough for others to hear, and amidst the quiet laughter of those around me, I stepped onto the platform – dead just a little bit inside.

This was not the first time I had faced ridicule for my big voice, or dramatic worship. I’m good with the idea that it’s not everyone’s way. But this kind of direct attack had been happening my entire life. And once again I asked, “Why?”

Why did God give me this talent? Why did I have to be judged for it? Why me at all?

As soon as I delved into later chapters of “Crushing”, a lesson I learned years ago was immediately reconfirmed in another question, “Why Not You?”

Just because we serve God, never means that we won’t be faced with our share of challenges.

Just because we submit ourselves to his care, doesn’t mean that we escape the pitfalls and pressures of living in a real world.

Jakes’ opposing views of Being Buried vs Being Planted, or understanding the difference between being pruned or punished are so relevant to the way we face our circumstances.

If we are buried, we are dead, without possibility of life. If we are planted, then a life of growth and multiplication is the anticipation.

I’m led to agree when Jakes suggests simply there must be a co-mingling of our truth and our trust.

My truth - not everyone wanted to hear this big voice, coupled with some other things. My trust looked forward to a time when the purpose of all this would be evident.

And so, I sang, developed and waited. Dealt with the ridicule and waited. Sat in the background and waited. You see, God wasn’t punishing me for the talent He gave me, He was pruning me for greater things to come, wrapping my pain in His perfection so He could get the ultimate glory from the gift.

My friends, despite, or rather, because of crushing, we are becoming God’s pearls of great price.