Each of us lives in a cavern of pearls . . . .
 

Many years ago during an exhausting trial in my life, I had a dream that I was sitting on one of four brilliant-white steps that lead to the Throne of God. My back was turned to Him, my head hanging down, my spirit crushed. God stepped down from His Throne, walked over to me, sat down on the step beside me, put His arm around me and said, "Cheryl, tell me what's on your mind.

That was all I saw. That was all I remember.

When I woke up, I called a friend of mine and told her that I had the strangest dream. Without missing a beat, she said, "Were there 4 brilliant-white steps before the Throne of God? I said, "Yes." She said, "Were you sitting on the top step with your back turned to Him?" I said, "Yes." She said, "I just had the same dream."

I know God wants us to come to Him with our problems, but the least He could have done was given me an answer to my dilemma. The most He could have done was taken that trial from me if only to give me rest, but He did not. At the time, that certainly would have been a blessing. During that time I was with a group of women that got together every Thursday night for about two hours. The lady that counseled us was named Pearl.

I remember asking Pearl what I should do about the situation I was in. Her answer was, "God allows us choices and He will be there to help you if it is the wrong choice, or if it is the right one. You are not doing it alone."

One day I called my friend (the one that had the same dream as I did). She said she had another dream where Jesus was trying to give her gifts, but she refused them. They were wrapped with beautiful papers and bows and He was grieved that she did not accept them.

This is what I created within my design "The Cavern of Pearls." The 'cavern' is our life, our trials and suffering. The 'pearls' are God's gifts to us. He never takes them away. We can live a life that does not give us the full benefit and joy that God wants for us, and yet He still does not take away our gifts. They are there if we will only accept them. But how do we accept them?  We stop doubting Him. We walk close to the Spirit and listen carefully to His guidance. We learn and grow through trials and hardships and each one we get through, we become more blessed. Well, at least that is how things have happened with me, but those trials lasted years and the severity was sometimes enormous. As we grow in Him we learn what those gifts are. We get more and more with each one received.

The Word of God says to seek counsel. It also says to plan wisely. It takes faith to step out on such a platform. But He promised us a Helper. God will be there, even if He has to leave His Throne and bring Himself down to our level. He did that over two thousand years ago, and He continues to do that today---to cheer us on, to push us forward, until the day He calls us Home.

© Copyright Cheryl Taul-2003