Disappointment in the gift

We have a full yard of white clover at our new home. I love the wild craziness of the flowers. I am one that does not like to spray the yard with chemicals, especially with a new puppy that likes to chew on the grass.
I will often take a few minutes to see if I can find a four-leaf clover when I pass by the patches of green. For me, it is like a little treasure hunt, looking for the unlikely in the midst of a million possibilities, as the chances of finding a four-leaf clover are 1 in 10,000.
Tonight the thought again crossed my mind that I wanted to find a perfect four-leaf clover, a gift set aside just for me.
I bent down and saw all the tiny perfect little shamrocks with their heart-shaped leaves.
There, right in the midst of them, was my find. A large four-leaf clover. At first, I was elated to have spied one, finally. But then…

As I examined my four-leaf clover I was disappointed in the straight leaves with no heart shape. I was disappointed it wasn’t tiny and cute like all the sprouts of three-leaf clovers in its midsts. The leaves of my clover were all different sizes and not at all what I had pictured a four-leaf clover would look. Without taking a moment to truly enjoy the treasure I had found there was quickly a disappointment in the gift. 

I knew it was silly to feel disappointed and a knowing rose up in my soul. How often do we get exactly what we hoped or asked for, but when it arrives and it looks different than we expected we have disappointment in the gift? Or how often do we look with disappointment in our own gift within us if it does not look like the shiny gifts and talents that others seem to have?

The phrase ‘be careful what you wish for” comes to mind. Or in my case, pray for. When you seek open doors and new opportunities, It is important to be mindful that what you pursue may come wrapped in a different package than expected. Yet there can still be beauty in a treasure that is uniquely your own.

Looking closer at the four-leaf clover I see a sweet etching of a smaller clover inside. I see that there is a gift within that I almost missed because my mind was clouded with my own expectations. I was thankful for the treasure. Thankful for the moment and no longer had disappointment in the gift.

The next day I was again outside with the puppy. Without any searching, I felt the tugging to look down. There at my feet was another four-leaf clover. Smaller and closer to the ideal in my mind. My heart swelled at the thought, there are many treasures to behold. There is no limit to what can be revealed. Sometimes the treasures come when we are in a place of contentment and not even searching. Will we be observant enough to notice them?

SO MUCH MORE!!!

I was praying for and discussing the heart of my friend to my husband yesterday. As I spoke about her heart and the gift she is, God revealed some amazing truths and my spirit just leapt in joy and my eyes filled with tears.

This friend is in a season where her boys are on the threshold of adulthood, and I know she is asking. “what’s next, what is for me now?”

I saw my friend as a beautiful jeweled box. It is gorgeous and serves a purpose just as it is. But inside are incredible jewels that she has yet to discover. There is so much beauty in her future. So many treasures to be revealed and shared in new ways with others that cross her path.

This is an exciting future. God is going to pour His presence in new ways and she will get to discover what has been hidden in her heart, coming into season. There will be new passions and a great stirring up that will bring great joy into her life and the lives of others.

God is going to move in mighty ways, taking the treasure within this friend and pour it forth. She will delight those that get to experience the treasure she holds.  She will have a great impact, they will be overcome.

Just you wait my friend there is SO MUCH MORE than what is expected, and not only will it be good, it will be astounding!

 

2 Corinthians 4: 6 -7 

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us. 

Unlocking the treasure chests

Okay I admit it, I am a closet Zelda fan. I stay away from video games mostly, because once I start them I become slightly obsessive until I complete them. Sadly I stink at handling the controllers and it can take me forever to finish playing the games.

This most recent stint of obsessive game playing left me with a life lesson.

As my character was running all over the screen, while I was trying to figure out how to follow the map, I noticed there were big rocks or walls that needed to be blown up. When you blow these up, you open a cave, and in the cave sits a treasure chest. You want to open these treasure chests because they aid in your game progress in some way or another.

I started reflecting on the rocks and walls that I have placed in front of my own treasure chests in life.

When I am hurt by someone over and over, I will often build up a wall. I often try to cut off any effect they have had in my life and forget them completely. But in reality, behind those walls that I put up,  these people had left treasures in my life. Whether it be joy, wisdom, insight, patience, encouragement or companionship, these people blessed me for a moment. No matter what the hurtful thing was, there was treasure from the moments that these people were in my life. I can’t wall it all up completely or I miss out on learning from whatever the point was in the season.

One key to having true joy, is to allow others to bless your life. To open these treasures and to appreciate them. I want to choose to focus on the blessings and not the hurt or just wall these valuable people up just because they had hurt me.

Also while treasure hunting with Zelda, I was reflecting on all the gifts the Lord has given me. I often find myself comparing my gifts and talents  to the abilities of others. There are so many that are much more talented at painting, singing, dancing, writing and all the other activities I try my hand at, than I am. When I begin to compare, I will want to hide my abilities out of fear or pride. I let ‘feelings’ get  in my way and then  I will place a wall up and hide my treasure.

The Lord gives us our talents and gifts to bless others and ourselves. He gives us our natural abilities and it is up to us to cultivate them to be better and to use what we do have.  Often it is in the using of your gift that is part of your treasure. A treasure does no good to sit and not be used. I may be a mediocre but using my gift brings joy. I can not compare, for it is my treasure and I must use it.

So I encourage you this day my friend, evaluate and find, what are your treasures and how have you walled them up? And then I challenge you, blow up the walls that are standing in your way(figuratively of course)  and unlock the treasure chests.