Buried Treasures

In August of 2021, I started to muse over some moments I had shared with a group of young ladies years ago. I knew I had some pictures but could not remember where I had placed them. A while later I remembered that I had a small ‘treasure chest’ where I stored some pictures. After a brief search in the chest I found those precious pictures, among others.

Thumbing through those pictures stirred up mixed emotions. Slowly I began to remember why I hadn’t open that chest for years. This little ‘treasure chest’ represented a place where I had carefully stored away the things that reminded me of some painful moments. This led me to ponder over how we have skillfully mastered the art of burying things that leave a bitter taste in our mouths.

More than ever I am beginning to understand how God desires to use the ugly, messy moments of our lives to touch the lives of others. He wants to use the unwelcomed pain as a platform from which we can become living testimonies of His grace and mercy. The pain then becomes part of our purpose. Those less than perfect moments become ramparts on which we walk into purpose. Painful buried treasures become priceless in the hand of a merciful savior. This is the essence of Romans 8:28. He does cause ‘all things to work together for good’.

Where are your buried treasures? Are they hidden in the deep inner sanctuary of your scarred heart? Do you wear them like accessories everyday – unwilling to let go? You have become so comfortable with them. They become part of the persona you project. The painful divorce, the abortion, the rejection or unrequited love. What about the childhood traumas, rape, abuse, and the silent pain of a miscarriage? You gave yourself without reservation only to have someone betray your trust.

A broken engagement, a broken you. You signed a contract with your heart, never to love like that again. Everyone who comes behind will only get that much of you and no more. You live with a guarded heart, willing to settle for less than what God has for you.

I decided to open my ‘treasure chest’ and unpack all those memories. Some may be harder to walk through than others; I now give them to my Father one at a time. Let’s see how He will use them for kingdom purpose. Philippians 3: 12 encourages us to let go of the past and press on ahead in Christ.

Can I challenge you to join me? Let’s unpack together. You probably don’t know where to begin. Some times it starts with a conversation. Someone may just need to hear your story. Let your pain become part of your purpose. Isaiah 61:3 speaks of ‘beauty for ashes’. Let’s trust Him to do just that. He does ‘watch over His word to perform it’ [Jeremiah 1: 12]. Give Jesus your buried treasures; He will repurpose them for His glory.

Marcia Y.